At the end of April, astronomers in the northern hemisphere will have the opportunity to observe the Lyrid meteor shower, which is a dusty trail that has been orbiting the Sun for many centuries, the site reports with a link to space.com.
Astronomers will have a chance to see the Lyrid meteor shower in the sky between April 16 and April 25, 2017.
The best day to see the Lyrid meteor shower will be Saturday, April 22, said NASA meteor expert Bill Cook. Like most meteor showers, peak viewing time will be before dawn.
On average, the Lyrid meteor shower produces 15 to 20 meteors per hour, Cook said. In some years, the meteor shower intensifies and can produce up to 100 meteors per hour, a phase of meteor shower activity called a “burst,” but it is difficult to predict exactly when this will happen.
"Some believe there is a pattern in the frequency of outbreaks, but the available data does not support this. Although the average period between these outbreaks is 30 years, this is only an average; the actual number of years between outbreaks varies," Cook said.
Where to see the Lyrid meteor shower
The radiant, the point from which the meteors will appear, will be high in the evening sky in the constellation Lyra northeast of Vega, one of the brightest stars visible in the night sky at this time of year. Try to look beyond the radiant point, because then you might miss the long tails.
According to information collected by JoinFOMEdia journalist Olya Lexi, the new moon will appear only a few days later, on April 26. This is very fortunate because moonlight will not interfere with viewing the bright tails of meteors that they leave in the night sky. It's best to view this spectacle away from city lights, where the sky is usually much darker, so the meteor shower will appear much brighter.
"The Lyrid meteor shower is moderately bright, not as bright as the famous one in August, which tends to leave brighter trails," said Bill Cook.
What Causes the Lyrid Meteor Shower
The Lyrid meteors are small fragments of Comet Thatcher. This comet is a long-period comet, orbiting the Sun approximately once every 415 years. Debris and dust left behind by the comet's many orbits create the Lyrid meteor shower every year. Comet Thatcher's most recent perihelion, or closest approach to the sun, was in 1861. It will not return until 2276.
Meteor showers occur when the Earth crosses the path of a comet, colliding with cometary debris. That's why they occur around the same time every year, and come from specific points in the sky. When meteors burn up in the atmosphere, they leave bright streaks in the sky, usually called "shooting stars."
"The Lyrid meteors travel quite fast - although not as fast as the Leonids meteors, which peak in November," says Bill.
> > LyridsLyrids– meteor shower from the constellation Lyra: when to observe, peak activity, location, connection with Comet Thatcher, research with photos, videos, interesting facts.
Lyrids(April Lyrids) is one of the oldest meteor showers, recorded 2600 years ago. Meteors can be observed from April 16-25. The peak occurs from April 22-23. The stream is associated with comet C/1861 G1 - Comet Thatcher. At maximum, 5-20 meteors per hour are noticeable. The average speed is 10 meteors per hour.
Basic parameters of Lyrid:
- Parent: C/1861 G1 (Comet Thatcher)
- Radiant: Lyra constellation
- First entry: 687 BC
- Dates: April 16-25
- Peak: April 22
- Maximum amount: 10 meteors per hour
Best viewed in rural areas, away from city lighting. It’s very good if the moon’s glow doesn’t interfere. The best time is before dawn.
Lyrids reach 2nd magnitude. The marks left behind last for several minutes. Once every 60 years, the Lyrids gain greater strength. This occurs when a comet completes its orbit and causes an outburst.
In 1922 and 1982, observers at the peak counted 90 meteors per hour. In 1803, the April Lyrids created a meteor storm of up to 700 meteors per hour.
The radiant lies in the direction of little north. It is very easy to find, as it contains the brightest (5th brightest among stars), which also forms. The radiant is located near the star.
Data
Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1) was named after American amateur astronomer A.E. Thatcher, who discovered it on April 5, 1861. In May 1861, it approached us at a distance of 50.1 million km and made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) in June 1861. The comet's perihelion distance is 0.9207 AU, and its aphelion (maximum distance) is 110 AU. The orbital period is 415 years, so it will return to perihelion in 2276.
The first recording of the Lyrids was made in 687 BC. in China. "Zuo Zhuan" (an important and former Chinese work) mentions that "at night the fixed stars are invisible, and at midnight they fall like rain."
In Australia, Lyrids were perceived as the scratch of an ocellated hen (a terrestrial Australian bird). The April Lyrids coincide with the bird's nesting season. She herself is depicted in the form of Vega.
Each of us at least once admired the stunning spectacle of star rain. Knowing the dates of starfalls in 2017 in advance, you will be able to make the most of these events and not miss a single star shower.
For a long time, starfall has been considered a mystical event, captivating with its beauty and grandeur. Contemplation of the starry sky helps to achieve inner harmony, and when you see a shooting star, you can make any wish that will surely come true.
Quadrantids in January 2017
Lyrids starfall in spring 2017
This year the Lyrid shower should be expected in April, from the 16th to the 25th. The constellation Lyra has been giving us this stunning spectacle for several centuries. In 2017, the peak of the meteor shower will occur on April 21, and the overall intensity of meteor falls will decrease compared to last year.
Energetically, this April starfall is perfectly compatible with the fulfillment of desires related to self-development and creativity. At this time, it will be easiest to start learning a new hobby or gain useful skills.
When will the Aquarids starfall occur?
Aquarids are a meteor shower divided into three types:
- Eta Aquarids: The shower can be seen from April 19 to May 28, 2017;
- Delta Aquarids: Meteor shower runs from July 12 to August 23;
- Iota Aquarids: This meteor shower will begin on July 1 and end on September 18.
The energy of the Aquarids starfall is extremely strong: this shower of meteors brings fundamental changes, inspiration and love. During these three starfalls, you can fulfill your deepest desire and completely change your life and destiny.
2017 Perseid meteor shower
The Perseid meteor shower is the most famous and brightest. In the coming 2017, it can be seen from July 18 to August 24, and the peak of activity with the fall of more than 250 meteors per hour will reach August 11-12. It is better to admire this spectacle of incomparable beauty away from the city and sources of street lighting: the ideal solution would be a trip to the village or a country trip with an overnight stay in nature.
The energy of the Perseid meteor shower is extremely powerful and requires careful handling. For example, astrologers recommend that during this period of time you carefully weigh your every word and even thought, since such a bright starfall can attract into your life absolutely everything that you say or think about while experiencing strong emotions. At this time, empathy will help more than ever: you will be able to better understand those around you and avoid many troubles.
Draconids in autumn 2017
The Draconid glow can be observed annually from October 7 to 12: although this meteor shower is very brief, it is unusually bright and has a strong energy. This year, the peak of starfall activity will occur on October 8, and the intensity will reach 20 meteors per hour.
The Draconids were given to us by the constellation Draco, and on a subtle level they extremely sharpen the sense of justice. During this period, it is extremely easy to “break the woods”, unable to cope with your own emotions, or to fall into melancholy from the general injustice of the world. Astrologers and psychics recommend not starting new businesses and not making fateful decisions at this time. You can take care of yourself and your needs, give warmth, care and attention to your loved ones, and also pay more attention to the beauty around you.
Orionid meteor shower
This starfall is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful. The Orionids in 2017 will begin their movement on October 2 and end around November 7-8. The speed of falling meteors in the stream is very fast, and the intensity of the meteor shower will reach 15-20 meteors per hour.
The energy of the Orionids is tough, fast, impulsive. Emotions will break through even in the most restrained and cold-blooded people, feelings will be intense, and words will be hot and sincere. Try to be frank with yourself and your loved ones at this time, because sometimes a frank conversation can correct even the most difficult situation.
Leonids in 2017
Typically, the Leonids are far from the brightest meteor shower: the flow rate reaches no more than 10 meteors per hour. But this year we'll see a spike in this meteor shower, which occurs every 33 years. The Leonids will be much brighter than usual, and the rate of meteor showers could reach 20-30 per hour. Such a spectacle will be beautiful in the cold autumn sky: you can watch the starfall from November 8 to November 28, 2017.
Energetically, the Leonids perfectly contribute to creative inspiration: at this time poetry is best written, paintings are created and the art of meditation is comprehended. Don’t be afraid to create and express yourself: your work will bring very real results.
When can you see the Geminids in 2017?
The Geminids are a major stellar shower that ends the calendar year. It will be possible to observe this meteor shower from December 4 to 17, and it will reach its peak of activity on the 13-14th. This time the shower will pass through the constellation Gemini: this means that the meteor shower will be best seen in the Northern Hemisphere.
The energy of the Geminids will contribute to restorative practices and the fulfillment of desires: at this time, the beginning of any creative process will be especially good and successful. Try to look for answers about your purpose and path at this particular time: the energy of the meteor shower will help you receive comprehensive information at the subconscious level.
The starry sky contains many attractive secrets, and only some of them have been unraveled by astronomers and astrologers. It is no secret that the stars directly influence our lives, and for it to be happy, it is necessary to be in harmony with lunar and stellar energy. Will be a good help with this
Observing meteors, or, as they are popularly called, “shooting stars,” is one of the most exciting astronomical spectacles. Unfortunately, the number of abundant showers, producing at most tens of meteors per hour, can be counted on the fingers of one hand. After the Quadrantids, which peak on January 3, there is a long pause until August, when the famous Perseids become active.
Against this backdrop, many meteor watchers are eagerly awaiting the appearance of the Lyrids, one of the last noticeable meteor showers before the onset of the short summer nights.
Lyrids is an annual meteor shower that usually peaks on April 22 or 23. Like other showers, the Lyrids get their name from the constellation where their radiant is located - namely the constellation Lyra. ( Radiant- a point in the sky from which, as it seems to the observer, meteors are flying out.)
Despite its relatively modest activity, this is a rather interesting stream, which, although it has a long history of observations, has not yet been studied well enough.
History of the Lyrids
On the night of April 19–20, 1803, a real meteor shower was observed over the eastern United States. Fast white meteors lit up in the sky almost every second; they flew out from the small constellation Lyra, marked in the sky by the bright star Vega. An amazing starfall - then about 700 meteors were observed in an hour! - did not repeat itself either next year or the year after, and attention to this phenomenon began to fade.
Witnesses of the 1803 Lyrid starfall probably observed a picture similar to this, when within a few minutes of exposure 3 meteors flew through the field of view of the camera. Source: NASA
Astronomers learned about the existence of annually recurring meteor showers 30 years later. In 1834, astronomers proved that the Leonid shower was a periodic source of meteors. After this, astronomers began to look for other constantly operating streams. The Lyrids were first pointed out in 1835 by the famous French astronomer Francois Arago, who drew attention to April 22 as a date of possibly high meteor activity. But the stream itself was discovered by the Austrian professor Edmond Weiss in 1869. At the same time, Johann Halle traced the history of the stream back to March 16, 687 BC, when it was observed in ancient China!
As is known, meteoroids are specks of dust, pebbles and pieces of ice that break away from comets and continue to move in their orbits. Therefore, many meteor showers are closely associated with known comets. The Lyrids are no exception. The vernal shower follows the orbit of Comet Thatcher (1861 GI), observed in 1861. This comet orbits the Sun in a very elongated orbit with a period of 415 years. It is clear that meteoroid bodies that stretch over time throughout the entire orbit of Comet Thatcher should have a lower concentration than bodies that stretch along the short-period comet. Therefore, even at moments of maximum activity, the Lyrid flow should not be too active. In general, this is true - on average, at the peak of the Lyrids they produce 10-15 meteors per hour.
However, the Lyrids know how to surprise. Over the entire history of observation, the stream has repeatedly produced unexpected bursts of activity. In 1803, as we mentioned above, the Lyrids produced a maximum of about 700 meteors per hour, and in 1922 - 1800 meteors per hour! There were other active years. In April 1884, Denning observed 22 meteors per hour; in 1982, 90-100 meteors were observed per hour.
Many astronomers have tried to calculate the period of increased Lyrid activity, but their attempts have ended in failure. There are likely to be several randomly placed clusters of particles in orbit around Comet Thatcher, which may make it impossible to obtain accurate estimates of such a period. Who knows, maybe this year we will see one of these surges in activity?
Observing the Lyrids on the night of April 22-23, 2015
The Lyrids are not one of the larger showers such as the Geminids or Perseids. As we have already written, even at its maximum the flow produces no more than 15 meteors per hour (=18). Therefore, observing the Lyrids is not easy: you need a lot of patience to notice a white “shooting star” in the sky.
In addition, the Lyrids have a “sharp” peak that is not extended in time. This means that it makes sense to visually observe the flow only in the interval of 2-3 hours before and after the maximum. The rest of the time (the Lyrids are active from April 16 to April 25), the shower produces only a few meteors per hour.
Lyrids are bright white meteors with no trails. The stream is active during the period April 16-25. This photo shows one of the first Lyrids of the year, photographed in England on April 16th. Source: Martin Dawson, York Astronomical Society
In 2015, there will be good conditions for observing the Lyrids. Maximum activity will occur on April 23 around 3 a.m. Moscow time. The moon will go below the horizon at this time and will not interfere with observations.
Where to look?
First of all, you need to find the constellation Lyra - the place in the sky from where the Lyrids “fly out”. The constellation Lyra is small and does not have a bright pattern, but it is easy to find due to the fact that it contains Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky.
Around midnight, bright Vega is visible high above the eastern horizon. Together with Deneb and Altair, it is part of the Summer Triangle asterism, marking its upper right corner. Drawing: Stellarium
Vega is part of the Great Summer Triangle. Around midnight it can be found in the east at an altitude of about 40° above the horizon, and in the morning - in the southeast, at an altitude of 70° (in mid-latitudes). In the early morning, Vega is the brightest star in this part of the sky. Directly below Vega you can see a small parallelogram of 3-4 magnitude stars. quantities. This is the most expressive part of the Lyra constellation.
The Lyrid radiant is located to the right of Vega and the parallelogram, almost on the border with the constellation Hercules.
Position of the Lyrid radiant in the sky. The flight lines of meteors are shown schematically. Drawing: Stellarium
Now let’s choose a section of the sky where it is easiest to “catch” a falling star, because not all meteors fly away directly from the radiant (remember that this is just the area of the sky from where the Lyrids come to us, that is, the point where the trajectories of the meteors of the stream converge). It is best to sit with your feet facing north and look at a height of about 45° above the horizon. This patch of sky, located between Polaris and the bright yellow star Capella, contains the inconspicuous constellations of the Giraffe and Lynx. To the right is the famous constellation Cassiopeia in the form of the letter W. Having noticed a meteor, mentally trace its path in the opposite direction. If it comes to the constellation Lyra, then the meteor was probably a Lyrid.
In this picture, an oval is drawn around the area of the sky above the northern horizon where the Lyrids are best observed. Drawing: Stellarium
You should not watch the Lyrids while standing. This is very inconvenient: the neck quickly becomes stiff, blood circulation in the head is disrupted and, as a result, vision becomes worse. An excellent option would be a garden or folding chair in which you can watch while reclining. Also, don’t forget to dress for the weather: frosty nights in April are still common!
What should you pay attention to?
Lyrids are fairly fast meteors that leave no traces. The color of the meteors is white, the average brightness according to different sources varies from 2.5 m to 3.3 m, which is comparable to the brilliance of the stars of the Ursa Major bucket. Provided there is a clear sky, you can observe the brightest Lyrids in the city (not in a metropolis!), but it is better, of course, to go to a village or country house, away from street light.
Those who have already observed meteors (Perseids or other meteor showers) may find it interesting to make observations of the Lyrids, which have real scientific value.
Here is a short list of tasks that an astronomy lover can set for himself:
- Plotting meteors on a star chart with subsequent determination of the radiant (for the Lyrids, like other showers, the radiant shifts throughout the entire period of visibility)
- Meteor counting to determine the hour number and subsequent determination of the meteor shower density (in case of multiple meteor counts)
- Observations of meteor trail drift
- Photographic observations to obtain accurate velocities
What is needed for this? First of all, clear skies, good knowledge of the constellations and, of course, a great desire. General meteor observations do not require optical equipment (telescopes, binoculars, etc.), unless, of course, you are into meteor photography. However, there are also special programs for observing telescopic meteors.
It should be borne in mind that such observations should be carried out by experienced observers due to the small and sharp peak of the Lyrids.
Read more about meteor observations in the following books (they can be found on the Russian Internet in electronic form):
- P. G. Kulikovsky. Handbook for an Astronomy Amateur - M.: Editorial URSS, 2002.
- Babajanov P. B. Meteors and their observation - M.: Nauka, 1987.
- Astronomical calendar. Constant part - M.: Nauka, 1981.
April 22 is not just Earth Day. This is also the peak of the morning Lyrid meteor shower in 2017.
The annual Lyrid meteor shower has begun! It is active every year from approximately April 16 to April 25. In 2017, the peak of this downpour, which usually lasts less than a day, is expected on April 22. The greatest number of meteors usually fall in the hours before dawn. Overall, the outlook for this year's Lyrid meteor shower looks pretty good, although meteor showers are notoriously fickle and not entirely predictable!
How many Lyrid meteors can we expect in 2017? You can spot the Lyrid meteorite anytime during the shower (April 16-25), but most meteors are likely to fall in the dark hours before dawn on April 22. In moonless skies, you can see approximately 10 to 20 Lyrid meteors per hour. This year, the slender crescent moon shouldn't pose too much of a challenge to sightings.
By the way, if you see a meteor... pay attention to whether it leaves a persistent ionized gas trail that glows for a few seconds after the meteor passes. About a quarter of Lyrid meteors actually leave such trails.
Where to look? If you trace the paths of all the Lyrid meteors, they appear to originate from the constellation Lyra the Harp, near the shining star Vega. This is just a random alignment as these meteors burn up in the atmosphere at an altitude of about 100 kilometers. Meanwhile, Vega is trillions of times further away at 25 light years.
You don't need to identify Vega or its constellation Lyra to watch the Lyrid meteor shower. The idea that you have to recognize the origin of a meteor shower in order to see any meteors is completely false. Any meteors visible in the sky often appear unexpectedly, in all parts of the sky.
Keep in mind that the star Vega is quite far north of the celestial equator, so the Lyrid meteor shower favors the Northern Hemisphere.
Lyrid meteorites in history. The Lyrid meteor shower has the distinction of being one of the oldest known meteor showers. Evidence of it appeared about 2700 years ago.
The ancient Chinese are believed to have observed Lyrid meteors "falling like rain" in 687 BC.
Incidentally, this period in ancient China corresponds to what is called the Spring and Autumn Period (circa 771-46 BC), a period associated with the Chinese teacher and philosopher Confucius, one of the first to support the principle: “Thou shalt not to others what you don’t want for yourself.” I wonder if Confucius saw the Lyrid meteors...
Comet Thatcher is the source of the Lyrid meteors.
Every year, at the end of April, our planet Earth crosses the orbital path of Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1). Comet Thatcher last visited the inner solar system in 1861. This comet is not expected to return until 2276.
Chunks of rock ejected by this comet bombard the Earth's upper atmosphere at a speed of 177,000 km per hour.
The Lyrid meteor shower will show us 10 to 20 meteors per hour at its peak on a moonless night. The peak number of meteorites is expected to fall on the morning of April 21 or 22. In 2017, the light of the waning crescent moon will not disturb the observer too much. On rare occasions, Lyrid meteors can bombard the sky with nearly 100 meteors per hour. This is not expected this year... but anything is possible.
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