The Lyrid meteor shower will begin next week, which will add to the recent delights of astronomers and stargazers.
If your neck hurts after watching the total solar eclipse on Monday, then you best get a massage because it's time to look up at the sky once again.
Stargazers worldwide are eagerly anticipating the annual spectacle of the Lyrid meteor shower, set to grace the night skies between April 16 and April 25, per Space.com.
However, this year's show promises to be a bit of a challenge, as the luminous presence of an almost full moon threatens to steal the limelight during the shower's peak on the night of April 22, 2024.
According to insights from NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke, the prime viewing window typically precedes dawn, with the Lyrids making their grand entrance starting around 10:30PM local time.
"It's not ideal with the bright moon, but dedicated viewers may still witness a few impressive meteors," Cooke said.
Renowned for its luminous dust trails that linger for several seconds, the Lyrid meteor shower traces its origin to Comet Thatcher, a celestial wanderer on a 415.5-year journey around the sun.
Its last close encounter with our star dates back to 1861, leaving behind a trail of cosmic debris that graces our skies each April.
If you were hoping to get a glimpse of Comet Thatcher itself, then you will be left disappointed - unless you've discovered the secret to immortality.
The comet is currently continuing its journey away from the Sun, reaching its furthest point around 2070, and will then be visible from Earth around the year 2283, per Earth Sky.
On an average night, skywatchers can anticipate spotting 15 to 20 meteors per hour during the Lyrid shower. However, the cosmic spectacle occasionally intensifies, unleashing a meteoric storm capable of producing up to 100 shooting stars per hour in what astronomers term an "outburst."
"People say there is some periodicity there," Cooke remarked, "but the data doesn't support that."
While historical records suggest an average gap of 30 years between these meteoric outbursts, the actual timeline between these celestial fireworks varies unpredictably, Cooke explained.
For those situated in the Northern Hemisphere, locating the radiant point of the Lyrid meteor shower entails keeping an eye on the celestial beacon known as Vega, nestled within the constellation Lyra.
As April unfolds its cosmic spectacle, Vega graces the northeastern horizon between 9:00PM and 10:00PM local time, marking the onset of the Lyrid shower's radiant point.
Meanwhile, for those residing in the far reaches of the Southern Hemisphere, the journey to catch a glimpse of Vega - and consequently, the Lyrid meteors' radiant point - unfolds during the pre-dawn hours.
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