Our universe may be full of universe wonders, but we can only observe only a small portion of astronomical phenomena with the naked eye. One of these is the meteor shower and natural fireworks with bright, striped patterns in the night sky.
The latest observable meteor shower has been active since April 19th and is expected to continue until May 28th. The shower will reach Tuesday morning on Monday nights from May 5th to 6th.
The ETA Aquarido meteor shower is known for its fast fireballs that occur as it passes through the tile ble left behind by Halley's comet.
Sometimes spelled eta aquariid, this shower is most easily seen from the tropical regions of the south. However, meteor proportions are also seen in the northern hemisphere near sunrise. The moon fills nearly two-thirds of the night of the show.
To give you a hint when to watch, you can use meters that rely on the data from the Global Meteor Network that shows you when real-time fireball activity levels rise over the next few days.
Where did the Meteor shower come from?
You may see a meteor on a particular night, but you are most likely to catch it during the shower. Meteor showers are caused by Earth's showers that pass through tile bles chasing comets and asteroids as they rock around the sun. These fragments can become as small as grains of sand, leaving behind a stream of light when they burn out in the Earth's atmosphere.
Meteor showers occur around the same time each year and can last for days or weeks. However, when each shower is at its peak, there are small windows. This happens when the Earth reaches the denseest part of the universe's fragments. Peak is the best time to find a shower. From our perspective on Earth, meteors appear to come from the same point in the sky.
For example, the Perseid meteor shower peaks in mid-August from the constellation Perseius. Geminids occur every December and occur from the constellation Gemini.
Bookmark Times Space and Astronomical Calendar for reminders about Meteor Shower throughout the year.
How to watch the Meteor Shower
Michelle Nichols, director of observation at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, recommends refraining from using telescopes and binoculars while watching meteor showers.
“You need eyes and ideally a dark sky,” she said.
This is because meteors can fire over a large band of the sky, and observing equipment can limit your field of vision.
According to the American Meteor Society, some showers are strong enough to produce up to 100 stripes per hour, but you won't see that much.
“Almost everyone is under a lightly contaminated sky,” Nichols said. “You might think you're under a dark sky, but in reality, even in a small town, you can have a bright light nearby.”
Planetariums, local astronomical clubs, or even maps like this can help you understand where to escape from excessive light. The best condition for taking a meteor shower is a clear sky between midnight and sunrise, with no moon or cloud cover. (Moonlight affects vision, just like light contamination, and flushes out light sources in the sky.) Make sure to give your eyes at least 30 minutes or more and adapt to look in the dark.
Nichols recommends wearing layers throughout the summer. “You've been sitting there watching for quite some time,” she said. “Even August is getting chilly.”
Bring some cocoa or tea for even more warmth. After that, lie down and scan the sky to enjoy the show.
