Items tagged with meteor shower
The iconic Halley’s Comet will be leaving a treasure trove of shooting stars for stargazers to catch this weekend. The meteor shower, also known as the Orionids, peaks during mid-October each year, and is considered to be one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year.
Whether a comet with an orbit of every...
Read more...
Be sure to look up this month, as night skies in August will be filled with cosmic wonders, ranging from meteor showers, the Lagoon Nebula, and Jupiter and Mars converging. So, pack a blanket, grab a few friends, and enjoy the celestial shows occurring throughout the month.
About a week after August’s new moon, the...
Read more...
The night skies will light up this week with not just one meteor shower, but two. The Delta Aquariids, known for its bright and fast meteors, and the Alpha Capricornids, known for producing slower, more colorful shooting stars, will peak simultaneously on Tuesday, July 30.
Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons...
Read more...
The Lyrids meteor shower is about to light up the night sky in a spectacular fashion with falling stars to make wishes upon. The first recorded sighting of a Lyrids meteor shower dates all the way back to 687 BC by the Chinese.
While not as fast or bountiful as the Perseids, the Lyrids are well known for producing...
Read more...
The Quadrantid meteor shower will soon be lighting up the night sky for those with a clear view. This dazzling display of shooting stars will appear to radiate from the Big Dipper asterism, located in the constellation Ursa Major.
While the Quadrantids are active from mid-November through mid-January each year, it...
Read more...
The Ursid meteor shower will be the last chance to catch a falling star to wish upon for the wanted gift to be left under the tree on Christmas morning. That's because the celestial light show is the final meteor shower of 2023, and it's predicted to peak during the early morning hours of December 23, 2023.
The...
Read more...
The month of December comes with celestial treats of all kinds, including the gorgeous Geminid meteor shower. The Geminids produce the year’s most reliable meteor shower that takes place annually each December.
While some sky watchers may be awaiting on the rare asteroid eclipse that will see asteroid Leona move in...
Read more...
As we get ready to close out the year, the Leonid meteor shower is going to reach its peak tomorrow morning, November 18th. While the shower might end up being a bit of a quieter one, there is still the opportunity to see a handful of meteors every hour while taking in the gorgeous night sky in all its glory.
The...
Read more...
The Taurid meteor shower kicks off the month of November for skywatchers. At its peak, the Taurid meteor shower is expected to showcase about ten meteors per hour, with the Leonids meteor shower following shortly after with an estimated ten to fifteen per hour.
The Taurid meteors consist of two streams, the South...
Read more...
The Perseid meteor shower is about to be in full swing and you can catch some falling stars without having to leave the comfort of your home. The peak of the summer shower is expected to be tonight and into the morning hours of August 13, 2023.
Sky watchers may have already noticed an uptick in the amount of...
Read more...
August promises to be a stellar end to Summer as sky watchers will be treated to a couple of supermoons, dazzling shows of shooting stars, and more in the night sky. The end of August will feature a full Blue Moon that will be the closest supermoon of the year, the second of four consecutive supermoons.
Sky gazers...
Read more...
Imagine coming home and realizing a 4-inch by 6-inch rock had fallen from the sky and penetrated the roof and ceiling of your home. That is exactly what one New Jersey family experienced, and the mysterious rock is believed to be a meteorite from the Eta Aquarids meteor shower which peaked this past weekend.
The...
Read more...
The cosmos' holiday gift of the Geminid meteor shower is upon us, with its peak on December 14, 2022. During the peak, skywatchers can hopefully expect 30-40 meteors per hour in the Northern Hemisphere, and up to 150 if one is lucky enough to have perfect weather conditions for viewing.
The Geminid meteor shower...
Read more...
With 2022 coming to a close, sky-watchers will have a few celestial light shows to look forward to. This year will close out with the Full Cold Moon, the Geminid Meteor Shower, and more cosmic events.
On December 7th, the Sun's light will fully light up the Moon for the final time this year. This full Moon is...
Read more...
Sky watchers are in for a treat later this week, as the Orionid meteor shower is expected to provide a fantastic light show in the sky. This particular meteor shower is compliments of perhaps the most famous space rock, Halley's Comet.
The Orionid meteor shower is a product of the inbound leg of Halley's Comet. The...
Read more...
The Draconids meteor shower is expected to peak this weekend. While not considered a major meteor shower, this particular one has been known to produce hyperactivity called meteor storms.
Meteor showers can provide a delightful showcase of falling stars dashing across the night sky. The upcoming meteor shower...
Read more...
2022’s final supermoon is bringing some pizazz as it coincides with the Perseids meteor showers this Thursday. August’s so-called sturgeon full moon will reach its peak at 9:36 p.m. Eastern on the 11th.
Supermoons are not perfectly defined. The concept is intended to reflect the times at which the moon enters its...
Read more...
With three active meteor showers currently, you should have a decent chance of seeing a falling star this weekend and into late August. While the Delta Aquariids showers peaked this morning, the Alpha Capricornids is expected to peak tonight and into tomorrow.
Summer is a great time to stay up late and try to catch...
Read more...
The tail debris from comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, also called SW3, could provide for a spectacular show in the night sky on May 30th and into the early morning of May 31st. However, NASA wants sky-watchers to temper their expectations.
SW3 was first detected in 1930 by astronomers Arthur Wachmann and Carl...
Read more...
The tau Hercluid meteor shower could provide an epic display in the late night sky at the close of May this year. If predictions come to fruition, the nights of May 30-31st may provide for a rare meteor outburst, or there may simply be nothing at all.
The comet responsible for all the hype is...
Read more...
A pair of meteor showers should provide sky watchers plenty to be excited about in the month of May. Eta Aquariids will open up the show of fireballs, with tau Herculids closing out the show at the end of the month.
Meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere are not uncommon, with most being particles that are no larger...
Read more...
With 2021 in the books, there is still much to look forward to when it comes to viewing the night sky in 2022. January will be bringing us a new Moon, a meteor shower, and the chance to see a couple of planets shining near the Moon.
The last month of 2021 provided plenty for sky watchers to take in. The Geminid...
Read more...
