Tag Archives: Meteor showers

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When to Watch the Tau Herculid Meteor Shower

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Photo: sripfoto (Shutterstock)

Meteors aren’t rare: There are space particles falling toward Earth constantly, and if you look closely for long enough on any given evening, you’re likely to see one or more streaking through the darkness. However, meteor showers that light up the night sky for minutes or hours at a time are much less common, and there’s a spectacular one coming up this month. Maybe.

If all the stars align (ahem), the tau Herculid shower will appear above the contiguous United States on the night of May 30 and early morning of May 31. It’s what Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteroid Environmental Office has called an “all or nothing event,” so hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Here’s what you need to know.

When to see the tau Herculid meteor shower

If it happens, the tau Herculid show is expected to peak around 1 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 31 (10 p.m. PT on May 30).

The meteors themselves are likely to be traveling more slowly and appear fainter than those of the Eta Aquarid shower earlier this month. However, the moon is new that night, so the sky will be dark for peak visibility. Because of the timing and position of the Earth, viewers in the U.S. will get the best show, from about halfway up in the sky to right overhead.

You always want to find the darkest place possible for meteor shower watching, but it may be especially important for the tau Herculids given the slow speed expected for individual particles.

Tau Herculids—new to the meteor shower scene

The tau Herculid shower originates from a comet known as SW 3, which was first discovered in 1930 and is believed to have begun fragmenting in 1995. At each pass since, SW 3 has continued to break into pieces, and experts believe that the position of the debris relative to the comet, the position of the Earth, and the speed may create an impressive viewing experience.

However, it’s a guess more than a guarantee.

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Science

Meteor showers, eclipses, full moons: All of the reasons to look up in 2022

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The new year is sure to be a sky-gazer’s delight with plenty of celestial events on the calendar.

Here are the top sky events of 2022 so you can have your binoculars and telescope ready.

There are 12 full moons in 2022, and two of them qualify as supermoons.

Definitions of a supermoon can vary, but the term generally denotes a full moon that is brighter and closer to Earth than normal and thus appears larger in the night sky.

Some astronomers say that the phenomenon occurs when the moon is within 90% of perigee — which is its closest approach to Earth in orbit. By that definition, the full moon for June as well as the one in July will be considered supermoon events.

Here is the list of full moons for 2022, according to the Farmers’ Almanac:
  • January 17: Wolf moon
  • February 16: Snow moon
  • March 18: Worm moon
  • April 16: Pink moon
  • May 16: Flower moon
  • June 14: Strawberry moon
  • July 13: Buck moon
  • August 11: Sturgeon moon
  • September 10: Harvest moon
  • October 9: Hunter’s moon
  • November 8: Beaver moon
  • December 7: Cold moon
While these are the popularized names associated with the monthly full moon, each one carries varied significance across Native American tribes.

Lunar and solar eclipses

There will be two total lunar eclipses and two partial solar eclipses in 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the sun, but only blocks some of its light. Be sure to wear proper eclipse glasses to safely view solar eclipses, as the sun’s light can be damaging to the eye.

A partial solar eclipse on April 30 can be seen by those in southern South America, the southeastern Pacific Ocean and the Antarctic peninsula. Another one on October 25 will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeastern Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India and western China. Neither of the partial solar eclipses will be visible from North America.

A lunar eclipse can occur only during a full moon when the sun, Earth and moon align and the moon passes into Earth’s shadow. Earth casts two shadows on the moon during the eclipse. The penumbra is the partial outer shadow, and the umbra is the full, dark shadow.

When the full moon moves into Earth’s shadow, it darkens, but it won’t disappear. Sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere lights the moon in a dramatic fashion, turning it red — which is why this is often referred to as a “blood moon.”

Depending on the weather conditions in your area, it may be rusty, brick-colored or blood red.

This happens because blue light undergoes stronger atmospheric scattering, so red light will be the most dominant color highlighted as sunlight passes through our atmosphere and casts it on the moon.

A total lunar eclipse will be visible to those in Europe, Africa, South America and North America (excepting northwestern regions) between 9:31 p.m. ET on May 15 and 2:52 a.m. ET on May 16.

Another total lunar eclipse will also be on display for those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America and North America on November 8 between 3:01 a.m. ET and 8:58 a.m. ET — but the moon will be setting for those in eastern regions of North America.

Meteor showers

The new year kicks off with the Quadrantid meteor shower, which peaks during the first week of January.

It’s the first of 12 meteor showers throughout the year — although the next one, the Lyrid meteor shower, doesn’t peak until April.

Here are the other showers to watch for in 2022:
  • Lyrids: April 21-22
  • Eta Aquariids: May 4-5
  • Southern delta Aquariids: July 29-30
  • Alpha Capricornids: July 30-31
  • Perseids: August 11-12
  • Orionids: October 20-21
  • Southern Taurids: November 4-5
  • Northern Taurids: November 11-12
  • Leonids: November 17-18
  • Geminids: December 13-14
  • Ursids: December 21-22

If you live in an urban area, you may want to drive to a place that isn’t littered with city lights that will obstruct your view. If you’re able to find an area unaffected by light pollution, meteors could be visible every couple of minutes from late evening until dawn.

Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight up. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness — without looking at your phone — so the meteors will be easier to spot.

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Science

Meteor showers, eclipses, full moons: All of the reasons to look up in 2022

Leave a comment

The new year is sure to be a sky-gazer’s delight with plenty of celestial events on the calendar.

Here are the top sky events of 2022 so you can have your binoculars and telescope ready.

There are 12 full moons in 2022, and two of them qualify as supermoons.

Definitions of a supermoon can vary, but the term generally denotes a full moon that is brighter and closer to Earth than normal and thus appears larger in the night sky.

Some astronomers say that the phenomenon occurs when the moon is within 90% of perigee — which is its closest approach to Earth in orbit. By that definition, the full moon for June as well as the one in July will be considered supermoon events.

Here is the list of full moons for 2022, according to the Farmers’ Almanac:
  • January 17: Wolf moon
  • February 16: Snow moon
  • March 18: Worm moon
  • April 16: Pink moon
  • May 16: Flower moon
  • June 14: Strawberry moon
  • July 13: Buck moon
  • August 11: Sturgeon moon
  • September 10: Harvest moon
  • October 9: Hunter’s moon
  • November 8: Beaver moon
  • December 7: Cold moon
While these are the popularized names associated with the monthly full moon, each one carries varied significance across Native American tribes.

Lunar and solar eclipses

There will be two total lunar eclipses and two partial solar eclipses in 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the sun, but only blocks some of its light. Be sure to wear proper eclipse glasses to safely view solar eclipses, as the sun’s light can be damaging to the eye.

A partial solar eclipse on April 30 can be seen by those in southern South America, the southeastern Pacific Ocean and the Antarctic peninsula. Another one on October 25 will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeastern Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India and western China. Neither of the partial solar eclipses will be visible from North America.

A lunar eclipse can occur only during a full moon when the sun, Earth and moon align and the moon passes into Earth’s shadow. Earth casts two shadows on the moon during the eclipse. The penumbra is the partial outer shadow, and the umbra is the full, dark shadow.

When the full moon moves into Earth’s shadow, it darkens, but it won’t disappear. Sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere lights the moon in a dramatic fashion, turning it red — which is why this is often referred to as a “blood moon.”

Depending on the weather conditions in your area, it may be rusty, brick-colored or blood red.

This happens because blue light undergoes stronger atmospheric scattering, so red light will be the most dominant color highlighted as sunlight passes through our atmosphere and casts it on the moon.

A total lunar eclipse will be visible to those in Europe, Africa, South America and North America (excepting northwestern regions) between 9:31 p.m. ET on May 15 and 2:52 a.m. ET on May 16.

Another total lunar eclipse will also be on display for those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America and North America on November 8 between 3:01 a.m. ET and 8:58 a.m. ET — but the moon will be setting for those in eastern regions of North America.

Meteor showers

The new year kicks off with the Quadrantid meteor shower, which is expected to peak in the overnight hours between January 2 and 3 for those in North America, according to the American Meteor Society.

It’s the first of 12 meteor showers throughout the year — although the next one, the Lyrid meteor shower, doesn’t peak until April.

Here are the other showers to watch for in 2022:
  • Lyrids: April 21-22
  • Eta Aquariids: May 4-5
  • Southern delta Aquariids: July 29-30
  • Alpha Capricornids: July 30-31
  • Perseids: August 11-12
  • Orionids: October 20-21
  • Southern Taurids: November 4-5
  • Northern Taurids: November 11-12
  • Leonids: November 17-18
  • Geminids: December 13-14
  • Ursids: December 21-22

If you live in an urban area, you may want to drive to a place that isn’t littered with city lights that will obstruct your view. If you’re able to find an area unaffected by light pollution, meteors could be visible every couple of minutes from late evening until dawn.

Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight up. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness — without looking at your phone — so the meteors will be easier to spot.

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Science

NASA shares how to watch the ‘best’ meteor shower in New York

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Stargazers should mark the “best” meteor shower of the year, according to NASA, on their calendars — the Geminids, which can soon be seen.

The showers began Saturday, but will peak on the evening and dawn of Dec. 13-14, according to earthsky.org. They end on Dec. 17.

If it’s dark, you could see as many as 50 flaming meteors cross the sky per hour, with the most around 2 a.m.

The Geminids are the “strongest meteor shower of the year,” according to NASA’s stargazing blog.

They’re “active … when Earth passes through a massive trail of dusty debris shed by a weird, rocky object named 3200 Phaethon. The dust and grit burn up when they run into Earth’s atmosphere in a flurry of ‘shooting stars,’” according to the agency.

A meteor from the Geminids meteor shower enters the Earth’s atmosphere above Southold, New York.
AFP via Getty Images / Stan Honda
NASA says you should find the “darkest place you can” away from NYC.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Geminids fall over a pond in Punta Gorda, Florida.
Getty Images

NASA recommends finding the “darkest place you can” away from the city and letting your eyes adjust for half an hour. “Avoid looking at your cell phone, as it will mess up your night vision,” the agency adds. “Lie flat on your back and look straight up, taking in as much sky as possible. You will soon start to see Geminid meteors.”

For those who can’t escape the city, NASA will stream the peak of the shower on its “meteor watch” Facebook page.

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Science

The Comet Leonard, the Christmas Star, and Other Things to See in December’s Night Sky

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Photo: Ylenia Cancelli (Shutterstock)

There’s a lot going on in the night sky in December, from the spectacular Geminids meteor shower to Venus at its brightest. Here are some of December’s most impressive star-gazing highlights to mark on your calendar.

Venus will be at its brightest on Dec. 3

Venus is December’s planet of the month! An iconoclast and overachiever, Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system (sorry, Mercury), and the only one to spin clockwise. Venus will make its brightest appearance of 2021 (or “greatest illuminated extent,” according to astronomers) on Dec. 3. Look west right after sunset, and you should see the crescent Venus, although you might need binoculars to really check it out. With pressing business in other parts of the universe, Venus will disappear from Earth’s sky on Jan. 9.

Antarctic gets a total solar eclipse on Dec. 4

Our readers in Western Antarctica and sailors in the Ross Sea will be able to check out a total solar eclipse on Dec. 4, with sky-gazers in the rest of Antartica, South Africa, Tasmania, and the South Atlantic being able to see a partial eclipse. For the rest of us, the moon is new (i.e., not visible) so tides will be higher all over the world. Surf’s up, baby.

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You can (probably) see Comet Leonard on Dec. 9

If you’ve been dying to check out a comet, may I suggest Comet Leonard? The mornings around Dec. 9 between 3:30 a.m. and dawn are prime viewing hours to see Comet C/2021 A1, also known as “Leonard.” According to Space.com, it will be “one-third of the way up the eastern sky, near the circle of stars that form the head of Serpens Caput (the Snake’s Head).” You might need binoculars to see it, and it might not be there at all (comets are hard to predict), but it’s worth a shot. What else are you gonna do during that time? Sleep?

The Geminids meteor shower peaks on Dec. 14

The Geminids meteor shower is the show-stopping celestial event of December 2021. It runs between Nov. 19 and Dec. 24, but its absolute peak is expected on Dec. 14. You should be able to see tons of meteors in the hours between sunset on Monday the 14th and sunrise on the 15th. At around 2 a.m., up to 120 meteors per minute might be visible. They’ll be all over the sky, but will appear to radiate from right above the stars of Castor and Pollux. These meteors would be even more spectacular without the moon messing things up with its reflected sunlight, but if you wait until it sets at around 3 a.m., more shooting stars should be visible.

You can spy on Crater Copernicus on Dec. 18

The moon crater Copernicus is visible with binoculars any time you can see the moon, but if you want to get really in-depth, check it out in a telescope on Dec. 18. On the night before the full moon, you’ll be able to see Copernicus’s terraced edges, its central peak, and its extensive ejecta blanket outside the crater’s rim. Copernicus is located slightly northwest of the center of the Moon’s Earth-facing hemisphere.

The full “Cold Moon” is coming on Dec. 19

Don’t miss December’s full cold moon on the 19th: Here’s everything you could ever want to know about it. 

Hunker down for the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21

In the Northern Hemisphere, Dec. 21 is the shortest day of the year. The sun is lowest at noon, and the darkness lasts longer than at any other day of the year. The Winter Solstice the best day for vampires who need to get a lot done. The exact moment of the solstice—when the sun reaches its most southernly point in the sky and Winter begins—happens at 15:59 Universal Time. Here’s how to translate Universal time to your local time.

See the little baby Ursids Meteor Shower peak on Dec. 22

This short meteor shower is caused by debris dropped by comet 8P/Tuttle, and is visible between Dec. 13 and 24, but its peak is expected in the early hours of the 22nd. After the moon sets at around midnight, you should be able to see five to ten meteors per hour in the sky. They could come from anywhere, but they will probably seem to radiate from above the Little Dipper.

See the Christmas Star on Dec. 25 (duh)

If you look out your window after midnight on Dec. 25, you should see Sirius, the brightest nighttime star, in the Southern sky. Sometimes called the “Dog Star,” Sirius is a twinkly blue and white ball of fire located a mere 8.6 light years from Earth. It is probably not the Star of Bethlehem that the three wise men from the East followed to Bethlehem—you can’t actually follow a star anywhere—but it’s still a cool star you can see on Christmas night (and other nights).

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Science

When to Watch the Draconid and Orionid Meteor Showers in October 2021

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Photo: paulista (Shutterstock)

There are a couple of interesting meteor showers to watch for in October: First comes the modest Draconid, which will warm you up for the more impressive Orionid later in the month. Here’s how to see them both from the Northern Hemisphere.

How to watch the Draconid meteor shower

The Draconid meteor shower will peak on Oct. 8 and into Oct. 9. It’s a convenient meteor shower, especially for parents, because the best viewing takes place right after nightfall on Friday, so you won’t have to drag your kid out of bed at four in the morning on a school night for the best views.

Because the moon is nearly new, the sky should be quite dark, but even with a darker sky, Draconid isn’t usually the most spectacular cosmic event. You can expect to see about five to 10 meteors per hour. Some years, though, Draconid puts on a show with hundred of meteors per hour streaking through the sky. Will it happen this year? Probably not, but it’s possible, and you won’t want to have missed it if it does.

Find the Draconid meteor shower’s radiant point

While you should be able to catch shooting stars all over the night sky, the radiant point of the Draconid shower is near the head of the Draco the Dragon constellation. To find it, first locate the Big Dipper (look north, about a third of the way from the horizon to the top of the sky) and then follow the point of the Dipper to Polaris. Halfway between the lip of the Dipper’s cup and Polaris is the tip of Draco’s tail. Follow its body up to the head, and there’s the radiant point.

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How to watch the Orionid meteor shower

The Orionid meteor shower is the most impressive cosmic show in October, with up to 20 meteors visible per hour. Peak viewing will be on Wednesday, Oct. 20, into Thursday, Oct. 21. The best viewing time is right before dawn, although Orionid meteors (caused by Earth passing through the debris left by Haley’s Comet) will be visible throughout the month.

Sadly, peak meteor-peeping coincides with the Hunter’s Moon lighting up the sky, so fainter meteors probably won’t be visible, but the shooting stars you do get to see are likely to be impressive. About half of Orionid meteors leave trails in the sky that last a few seconds.

Find the Orionid meteor shower’s radiant point

Although they will be visible all over the sky, meteors from Orionid seem to radiate from the constellation Orion, an easy-to-find group of stars. Just look South (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere) for the three stars that make up Orion’s Belt, follow them upwards to the bright, reddish star Betelgeuse, and you’re looking roughy at the radiant point of Orionid meteors—but given the light of the moon, you’ll probably be better off finding a dark area of the sky instead of the radiant point.

  

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