Meteor shower tonight -- where to look

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night between April 21 and April The Lyrids have a shorter peak and lower hourly rate compared to more well-known meteor showers like the Perseids and Geminids. From a dark sky location, you can expect to see an average of about 18 meteors per hour during the shower's peakthough up to meteors per hour are sometimes seen.

Visit the Meteor Shower Calendar. The Meteor Shower List is presented in four separate parts. The showers are broken down by intensity with major, minor, variable, and weak showers being separated into their own groups. The general public is encouraged to use the list of major showers as they are the most well known and provide the most activity on a year to year basis. The other showers rarely surpass ten meteors per hour at maximum and are difficult to observe by the general public. The meteor showers listed above are the easiest to observe and provide the most activity.

Meteor shower tonight -- where to look

Want to see 'shooting stars'? Check the key dates for major meteor showers in the UK and how to see them in the night sky. Check the table below and find dates for all the major meteor showers visible in the UK. Each entry includes the meteor shower name, the date of 'maximum' - when activity peaks - and the normal limits of when each meteor shower is visible. The rate per hour gives some idea of how many meteors you can expect to see under optimum conditions, while the description gives some more detail about each meteor shower. Click the links to find more information about all the meteor showers listed, and get more advice about what to see in the night sky with our monthly astronomy blog. Eta Aquariids. Delta Aquariids. Sign up to our space newsletter for exclusive astronomy highlights, night sky guides and out-of-this-world events. What we are witnessing when we see a shooting star is a small piece of interplanetary matter, called a meteor, entering the Earth's atmosphere and 'burning up' at a height of about km. These small particles are moving very fast relative to the Earth and when they enter the Earth's atmosphere, they are completely evaporated and the air in the path of the meteor is ionised. We see light from the emission of radiation from the ionised gas and from the white-hot evaporating particle. The trail is the hot gas gradually cooling down. When the Earth encounters a number of these meteors at once, we call them 'meteor showers'. These are specific clouds of debris that originate from particular sources.

Moonlight will interfere greatly in Daisy is passionate about all things space, with a penchant for solar activity and space weather.

Order Your Almanac Today! More detailed information about each meteor shower can be found below the table. In , the Moon will be in the last quarter, obscuring the fainter meteors. Your best bet is to view after the Moon sets on the 4th of January, just before dawn. See your Moon rise and set times. The Lyrids peak on the night of April 21—22, , when you can expect to see an average of 10 meteors per hour in dark, clear skies.

The Geminids meteor shower is expected to peak early Tuesday morning, offering up a spectacular show in the sky overnight. The annual meteor shower brings upwards of meteors per hour. The peak is expected at about 2 a. Tuesday local time around the globe, according to EarthSky. However, viewing will likely improve once the moon sets, with the dark predawn hours best for spotting the meteors. One of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year appears every December. There's debate whether Phaethon is an extinct comet or an asteroid because of its orbit.

Meteor shower tonight -- where to look

The Geminid meteor shower is one of the most fascinating and thrilling astronomical events it is possible to see, and one of the easiest too. All you need to do is head to a good observing site under a clear sky, take a seat, and wait. The night sky will do all the work! The next opportunity to see a good meteor shower is this week, when the annual Geminid shower reaches its peak on Thursday. And observers are really rubbing their hands with glee this year because the Moon will be well out of the way at the peak of activity.

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The National Schools Observatory provides a great overview of meteor showers and how to plan your meteor spotting. Each entry includes the meteor shower name, the date of 'maximum' - when activity peaks - and the normal limits of when each meteor shower is visible. Northern Taurids Next period of activity: October 13th, to December 2nd, This shower is much like the Southern Taurids, just active a bit later in the year. Solar longitude is measured in degrees with 0 occurring at the exact moment of the spring equinox, 90 at the summer solstice, at the autumnal equinox, and at the winter solstice. The Ursids are often neglected due to the fact it peaks just before Christmas and the rates are much less than the Geminds, which peaks just a week before the Ursids. This shower is seen equally well on either side of the equator. Though the southern delta Aquariids are best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, they can sometimes be visible to those in the mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The New Year will also treat us to supermoons, lunar eclipses, planetary alignments, a new comet, and much more. Next Peak - The Leonids will next peak on the Nov , night. Observers with less experience are urged to limit their shower associations to showers with a rating of I to III. In the Perseid meteor shower is active between 17 July and 24 August. Order Your Almanac Today! The other 3 was on about the same path but smaller and faster.

Zip up those winter coats — one of the best meteor showers if not the best is predicted to peak tonight. The Geminid meteor shower occurs when the Earth moves through the debris trail of the asteroid Phaethon.

Meteor activity is best seen in the absence of moonlight so showers reaching maximum activity when the moon is less than 10 days old or more than 25 are much more favorably observed than those situated closer to the full moon. She has a strong interest in astrotourism and loves nothing more than a good northern lights chase! This will be of similar brightness to the North Star, Polaris. To watch, go to the darkest place you can, let your eyes adjust, and look overhead — but avoid staring directly at the Moon. Observers will normally see Ursids per hour during the late morning hours on the date of maximum activity. Look toward the constellation Lyra, since the radiant of this shower is beside Lyra's brightest star, Vega. The comet will slowly brighten over the coming months and may be just barely visible to the naked eye by the time of the eclipse. I wish I could have been there with you. See your Moon rise and set times. Perseus was a hero who beheaded the Gorgon Medusa and later married Andromeda according to Greek Myths. Particular attention should be noted to the time and moonlight conditions.