[ad_1]
NASA has said that the Eta Aquarid meteor shower will present a spectacular sky show with a meteor shower rate of up to one per minute. With peak activity this weekend, meteors will be visible in the sky as Earth passes dusty space debris left by Halley’s Comet during the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower.
Everything You Need to Know About the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower
The Eta Aquariid meteor got its name because the point of origin in the sky – called radiant – because the debris burns up in the atmosphere is in the constellation Aquarius – “the water bearer” – and is close to Eta Aquarii, one of the brightest of the constellations. One is the stars and one of the four stars that are located at the top of its “water jar”, as reported reuters,
NASA says the Eta Aquarid meteors are exceptionally fast, traveling at about 148,000 mph (238,000 kph) when they enter Earth’s atmosphere. These fast-moving meteors can form flashing “trains” that last seconds to minutes.
According to the American Meteor Society, the rate of meteorites is expected to increase this year due to debris being flung near Earth by the gas giant Jupiter.
Clarifying on the meteor shower, Bill Cook, head of NASA’s Meteorite Environment Office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said that many of the shooting stars we see this year are caused by material from Halley’s Comet which is about 3,000 year old. , He said that when Earth crosses paths with this debris, we can see streaks of light in the sky. Sometimes, when Earth passes through dense clumps of material, it experiences meteor bursts, resulting in greater numbers of meteors visible in the sky.
When and where to see the Eta Aquarid meteor shower?
According to NASA, the usual peak viewing time will typically be from the night of May 4 to the morning of May 5. However, due to the eruption, May 2-6 may provide excellent sky-viewing opportunities. According to the American Meteor Society, meteors can be seen before dawn in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The US space agency also said that the next time Eta Aquarids erupts will be about 20 years from now.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Unlock a world of benefits! From informative newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and personalized newsfeeds – it’s all here, just a click away! log in now!
Catch all business news, market news, breaking news events and latest news updates on Live Mint. Download Mint News app to get daily market updates.
more less
Published: 04 May 2024, 10:00 AM IST
[ad_2]
