Wednesday night to bring 2nd meteor shower in 2 nights
Two minor meteor showers, the Draconids and Southern Taurids, are expected to peak on the nights of Oct. 8-9 and Oct. 9-10. However, don't let that discourage you. These meteor showers have unique reasons to head outside for a night under the stars. Let's find out more.
Two meteor showers will peak on consecutive nights this week, including one known for bringing incredibly bright meteors known as fireballs.
The back-to-back meteor showers will give stargazers of all ages several chances to spot some shooting stars right from their backyard.
The double header kicked off on Tuesday evening with the Draconid meteor shower.
Although the Draconids are minor shower that typically peaks with around 10 meteors an hour, it has been known to surprise stargazers. In 2018, there was a brief outburst that showered European onlookers with over 140 meteors per hour, according to the International Meteor Organization.
Onlookers later in the week may still be able to spot a few shooting stars associated with the Draconids, but in fewer numbers than at the shower's peak.
Southern Taurid meteor shower
When: Wednesday, Oct. 9 into Thursday, Oct 10
When: Wednesday, Oct. 9 into Thursday, Oct 10
Immediately following the Draconids will be the Southern Taurids, the second meteor shower to peak in as many nights.
Similar to the Draconids, the Southern Taurids are a minor shower with fewer than 10 meteors per hour, but don’t let the slim numbers discourage you.
“The Taurids are rich in fireballs,” the American Meteor Society said on their website.
Fireballs are meteors that appear incredibly bright as they streak through the sky. They can be so bright that they can cast shadows on the ground for several seconds.
Mainly clear skies will allow for uninterrupted viewing conditions for much of the U.S. on Wednesday night with the exception of widespread clouds over the northern Plains, as well as along the coastal Northeast.
Folks that miss these meteor showers do not have to wait long for another opportunity to spot some shooting stars. The Orionid meteor shower peaks later this month on the night of Oct. 21 into Oct. 22 and usually brings around 20 meteors per hour.
Where to look in the sky during a meteor shower
One of the biggest misconceptions with meteor showers is that you need to look in a certain part of the sky to see shooting stars, when the opposite is true.
During the peak of a meteor shower, meteors are visible in all areas of the sky, not just near the radiant point.
“You want to get as much sky in your field of view as possible,” AccuWeather astronomy blogger and meteorologist, said. . “My favorite approach to meteor viewing is to find a conformable lounge chair or even just a yoga mat to lie on.“
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Although you do not need to look at the radiant point, its location in the sky is still important. The higher the radiant point is in the sky, the greater number of meteors will be visible.
Knowing where the radiant point of the Dracondis and the Southern Taurids will also help onlookers know the origin of meteor they have seen. If you see a shooting star and trace it backward, it will point toward the shower’s radiant point, or part of the sky where the meteors originate.
Onlookers that see meteors streaking from the northwestern sky will know that they are part of the Draconids. Meanwhile, those that can be traced back to the eastern sky will be part of the Southern Taurids.
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