What better way to recognize Earth Day than to get outside and catch the Lyrid meteor shower which is expected to peak soon.
According to EarthSky.org, the best time to watch the meteor shower is on the nights of April 21-22 and April 22-23.
The predicted peak is 1:06 UTC on April 23, and at its peak under ideal conditions, people might see 10 to 15 Lyrid meteors per hour.
Alice Koning, community outreach co-ordinator at Kerry Wood Nature Centre, explained that some parts of space have more pieces of space dust and rock. Those dirtier parts of space are well known so astronomers know when the earth will pass through them annually during its orbit.
“When earth goes through one of those dirtier parts of space we get lots of shooting stars all at once and that’s what we call a meteor shower,” Koning said.
“Any night of the year you can see a shooting star and it’s always lots of fun to catch one. This is just a little bit of an elevated chance of getting to see a shooting star in the next few nights.”
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EarthSky says Lyrid meteor shower has the distinction of being among the oldest of known meteor showers and always brings an end to the meteor drought that occurs each year between January and mid-April.
In a moonless sky, about a quarter of Lyrid meteors leave a persistent train that glows for a few seconds after the meteor has passed. And this year there will be no moon in the sky during the peak mornings of the shower.
“Meteor showers are fun because they’re world-wide events. The whole planet earth is travelling through this part of space that has this extra space dust in it,” Koning said.
But people should be prepared to stay up late.
“Between midnight and 4 a.m. is when the sky is darkest and when we’re more likely to see these meteors.”
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She said it will take half an hour for people’s eyes to adjust to the darkness, and their eyesight gets better the longer they let it adjust.
“You’ve got to let your eyes adjust to the darkness. Don’t look at your phone. Get your blanket and your hot chocolate and your lawn chair and just give yourself time and patience to see them.”
She said it may be possible to view the shower in the city, but people will have to be in a dark place away from street lights and other light sources. Binoculars and telescopes won’t help, but a clear night sky is necessary.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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AstronomyKerry Wood Nature Centre
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2023-04-21 21:22:00Z
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