IRISH STARGAZERS are in for a treat this month, with two separate meteor showers visible in the sky.
And the first meteor shower, called the Draconids, will be visible in Irish skies tonight.
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The Draconid meteor shower will be active between October 6th and 10th, but will be at its peak around October 8th to 9th.
The meteors are named after the constellation Draco, where they appear to originate from the remnants of comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, which is currently zooming past Earth.
Meteor trains appear when the air in front of the meteor is compressed and heated to thousands of degrees Celsius.
Smaller meteors then vaporize, leaving behind a bright trail of light, while the larger meteors may explode into fireballs, almost none of which hit the ground.
If they hit the earth, they will be called a meteorite.
Although the Draconids do not always produce large numbers of meteors, this means that stargazers will be able to see about 10 shooting stars per hour.
But they are known for the occasional burst of “spectacular activity”.
While certainly one of the tamest meteor shows in recent years, the Draconids caused some of the most active displays of the 20th century in 1933 and 1946.
Unlike other meteor showers that are better captured early in the morning, the Draconids are best seen in the evening.
Go outside just after sunset in an area with a clear, dark sky.
Fortunately, the entire meteor shower occurs just before the Moon’s first quarter phase, when the lunar disk is in a waxing crescent.
This means that viewing conditions will be good, with some lunar brightness casting light on the sky.
For the best view, download an astronomy app that will show you where the Draco constellation is.
The focal point of the Draconid meteor shower is near the stars Eltanin and Rastaban, at the head of the constellation Draco.
Blackrock Castle Observatory bosses said: “Although the Draconids do not always produce large numbers of meteors – typically just a few per hour – they are known for the occasional burst of spectacular activity.
“We should have ideal viewing conditions this year, with the moon setting at 9pm our skies will be dark all night long.
“For the best chances of spotting some of these meteors, go to a dark place, away from city lights, and look toward the northern sky.
“You’ll need to give your eyes time to adjust to the dark, about 20 minutes, to catch these meteors streaking from Draco the Dragon.”
How to see meteor shower?
The best time to catch the meteor shower in its full glory will be between 9pm and 5am when the sky is pitch black – and give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness for about 20 minutes.
However, it can be difficult to spot in light-polluted areas such as busy cities, so they are encouraged to seek a dark area outside the area that has no light pollution – even no street lights.
For those living in the capital, Phoenix Park and Bull Island would be ideal places to enjoy the sights as there is less light pollution.
Make sure your stargazing spot has an unobstructed view of the horizon and beyond—away from tree lines or cityscapes is best.
Binoculars may not always be necessary – or useful.
They can limit your view of the sky, and in trying to get a more detailed look, you can miss out-of-frame shooting stars.
Another lunar event coming up
Later in the month, the Orionid meteor shower is already active until November 7th, but will reach peak activity between night and dawn on October 21st and 22nd.
They are one of the best known and most reliable shooting star monitors.
Originating from the debris left by Halley’s Comet, it is expected to average around 20 meteors per hour at its peak, providing “a beautiful show of fast, bright meteors”.
And it’s one of those rare lunar events that only swing by Earth about once every 75 years — making it a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Blackrock Castle Observatory added: “The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Orion, which rises late in the evening in the east.
“The Orionids are known for their speed and sometimes leave glowing trails in the sky.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the best conditions to observe them this year, with the moon almost full and high in the sky all night during the peak of the shower.”
What is the difference between an asteroid, meteor, and comet?
Here’s what you need to know, according to NASA…
- Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter), but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that could affect Earth)
- Meteoroid: When two asteroids collide, the small pieces that break off are called meteoroids
- Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it begins to vaporize and then becomes a meteor. On Earth it will look like a streak of light in the sky because the rock is burning up
- Meteorite: If a meteoroid does not vaporize completely and survive the trip through Earth’s atmosphere, it may land on Earth. At that point, it turns into a meteorite
- Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. But instead of being made mainly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust evaporating)