Science

A Dazzling Meteor Shower Is Starting This Week, So Don't Miss It

April 20, 2018 15:39·
The Lyrid meteor shower is back. Here's how to see the shooting stars

The Lyrid meteor shower is back. Here's how to see the shooting stars

As per the reports, the first Lyrid meteor shower was first recorded in China in 687 BC.NASA informed that the Lyrid meteors are very fast and also look very bright. Hence, they are considered as one of the oldest known meteor showers on earth. According to the scientists, the Lyrid meteors are originated from the constellation Lyra the Harp which is situated near the bright star Vega.

A simulation of the view to the east-northeast as seen from the heart of the British Isles at 12am local time on Sunday 22 April. At the peak, which comes early Sunday morning, the Lyrid rate will be roughly 10 to 20 per hour. National Weather Service has forecasted clear skies for almost the western half of the U.S and the immediate Eastern Seaboard. You might want to lie down on a long lounge chair where you can get a good view of the sky, and be sure to give your eyes plenty of time to adjust to the dark.

The Lyrids aren't as spectacular as the Perseids, which return each August. Earth's orbit almost coincides with Comet Thatcher's around April 22 each year. While it may not be the richest of the annual shooting star displays, the Lyrids can deliver a few fireballs and a portion of these medium-speed meteors can leave glowing trains.

You might be able to catch some meteors on the mornings of April 21 and 22 as well, as the waxing moon will keep the skies dark enough just before dawn to see some meteors light up the sky.

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Here on the Oregon Coast, cloud cover can make or break meteor viewing for sky-watchers. On rare occasions, outbursts of up to a 100 meteors per hour have been reported.

Even if the predicted peak of the Lyrids occurs in daylight for Western Europe (including the UK), observers looking in the eastern sky after midnight this weekend can expect around a dozen meteors per hour under favourable conditions - particularly if you start your vigil after the waxing Moon sets.

Are you going to watch the Lyrids this weekend?

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