The Draconid Meteor Bathe peaks this weekend, however solely stargazers from the northern hemisphere can be within the prime seats for this celestial occasion. Should you’re viewing from South Africa, fret not!
We’ve included reside streams of the meteor bathe under. However first, right here’s what it’s essential know concerning the Draconids.
Draconid meteor bathe
The very best time to view
The Draconids meteor bathe often happens throughout the first two weeks of October. This yr, it peaks on 8 and 9 October.
Watch reside: Draconid meteor bathe
Underneath very best circumstances – that’s, a darkish sky with no moon or gentle air pollution – stargazers would possibly see ten Draconid meteors per hour.
Sadly, October’s Hunter Moon on Sunday will doubtless drown out most Draconid meteors from view within the northern hemisphere.
What are the Draconids?
The Draconids are teams of meteoroids originating from mud grains ejected from Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, found by Michel Giacobini on 20 December 1900.
In line with the South Africa Bronberg Climate Station, “these small mud grains are distributed alongside the comet’s orbit, concentrated near the comet nucleus”.
“Each time the Earth passes by way of this stream of mud particles (i.e. meteor stream), we expertise what is named a Draconids meteor bathe”.
Dwell streaming from Belfast, Northern Eire
Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner
The Earth can be shifting by way of the centre of the comet’s mud trial tonight.
Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner passes Earth as soon as each 6.6 years, and final reached perihelion – the purpose when it’s closest to our photo voltaic system’s Solar – was on 10 September 2018.
That was additionally the yr the comet made its closest strategy to Earth.
Will the dragon awake in 2022?
Secrets and techniques of Area, a Non-Revenue-Organisation in america, mentioned the Draconid meteor bathe “is an actual oddity”.
“The radiant level stands highest within the sky as darkness falls. That implies that, not like many meteor showers, extra Draconids are prone to fly within the night hours than within the morning hours after midnight”.
Although some years would possibly dish up an uneventful bathe, the Centre warns to “be careful if the Dragon awakes”.
“In uncommon situations, fiery Draco has been identified to spew forth many tons of of meteors in a single hour”.
Originally published at Irvine News HQ
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