Amazing Night Sky Showers
At certain times of year, you are likely to see a great number of meteors in the night sky. According to some myths, wishes do come true if they are said when you see a “falling star” or a “shooting star”. These are amazing, but do you believe in it too?
There are those individual that say in silent their wishes as soon as they see “falling star” or “shooting stars”. But scientifically, sparkling events in the night sky are called meteor showers. It occurs when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by a comet as it orbits the Sun. These showers are named based on the constellation present in the sky from which they appear to originate.
The Quadrantids
The Quadrantid meteor shower is best to see during the dark hours before sunrise. Although it is a major shower, they are seldom observed because it doesn’t last long; a few hours at most and are usually vague due to unfavorable weather or its brevity.
The Lyrid
The Lyrids is best to observe during the dark hours before dawn or after midnight. It is dubbed by experts as “stars falling like rain.” Lyrid meteors are typically as bright as the stars in the Big Dipper.
The Eta Aquarids
The Eta Aquarids are named after a star in the constellation Aquarius generally appears to move fast.
The Delta Aquarid
Delta Aquarid is a meteor shower producing moderate activity; with frequency of 16 – 30 per hour. Most meteors from this shower are lightly to be faint, and will be lost in the moonlight.
The Perseids
Image source A Perseid fireball photographed August 12, 2006, by Pierre Martin of Arnprior, Ontario, Canada.
Perseids are named after a star in the constellation Perseus (a Greek Hero). One of the 48 constellations, Perseus can be observed in the northern sky.
The Orionid
The Orionid meteors are one of just a handful of known meteor showers that can be observed again during the summer of 2061 (that is if you are still alive when this comet returns).
The Taurid
The Taurid meteors are sometimes called the “Halloween fireballs.” They are often yellowish-orange and, as meteors go, appear to move rather slowly. Their name comes from the way they seem to radiate from the constellation Taurus, the Bull.
The Leonids
The Leonids is a world-renowned meteor because of its notorious meteor storms aside from being among the most brilliant. Observers are also very thrilled as this comet makes its come back in November 17, 2009 after it was last seen in 2001.
The Geminid
Geminids was discovered by astronomers in 1862. Those early showers were unimpressive but in 1996, the last time the Geminids appeared in a dark moon-less sky, observers saw as many as 110 per hour. Since then, the Geminids have grown in intensity until today it is one of the most spectacular annual showers.
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32 Responses to “Amazing Night Sky Showers”
On April 26, 2009 at 4:13 am
Didn’t know about these, great article, Anne!
On April 26, 2009 at 5:44 am
A very well written article. These are new to me. Thanks Anne.
On April 26, 2009 at 5:54 am
Excellent article and extremely interesting Anne. Some facts I didn’t know about. Great pics, great write and great read
On April 26, 2009 at 6:42 am
Great article – very interesting
On April 26, 2009 at 7:00 am
We get some good ones here in Cyprus. Great article.
On April 26, 2009 at 7:13 am
About ten years ago, when I was driving home shortly after dark routinely, I often saw “shooting stars” one the homeward journey. Nice article, well put together.
On April 26, 2009 at 8:56 am
Your article is fantastic. The pictures are perfect.
On April 26, 2009 at 9:05 am
I love astronomy, I can never read enough about the stars, love this article Anne, thank you so much.
On April 26, 2009 at 10:01 am
Wow, these are so nice! You must have spent hours on doing this. Great job, my friend!
On April 26, 2009 at 10:31 am
interesting article
On April 26, 2009 at 11:48 am
Several years ago, when I lived in California, my youngest son and I would camp out in our yard to watch the falling stars. I don’t know why they were prevalent that summer, but watching them was magical.
You’ve done a lovely job presenting this material, Anne.
On April 26, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Nice look at the heavens.
On April 26, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Interesting, fun fact filled piece!
Thanks,
Clay
On April 26, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Good grief, Anne, I didn’t realise they had so many names. Lovely article.
On April 26, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Another subject I enjoy. It brought back a good memory for me, too, when a few years back my family went out in the middle of the night to watch a meteor shower.
My best to you,
Momma Tells
On April 26, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Reminds me to look up every so often.
On April 26, 2009 at 9:43 pm
nice post…people used to observed the night sky decades and centuries ago,nowadays-only few people do
On April 26, 2009 at 10:56 pm
that was a very informative and really amazing share Anne!
On April 26, 2009 at 11:20 pm
As Spock would say, “Fascinating.” Cool pictures and information.
On April 27, 2009 at 2:30 am
Those are amazing. A great article.
Christine
On April 27, 2009 at 7:55 am
Awesome!
On April 27, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Very nice write up. I enjoyed reading this one a lot.
On April 27, 2009 at 11:05 pm
wow a beautiful write and fantastic photos to accompany it, great job
On April 28, 2009 at 5:21 pm
great work…. and great information too good job
On April 28, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Great write, Very interesting piece.
Lots of great information in here,
and the pics add a nice touch
On April 29, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Amazing views accompanied by a well written information. I enjoyed reading it.
On May 2, 2009 at 10:27 am
Good info. I did see a meteor shower – I think it was last year. There wasn’t a lot to see, but still special.
On May 4, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Amazing views, great article.
On May 8, 2009 at 11:33 am
Well,I learned something today I didnt know.Great article,great pictures.
On May 11, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Wow, great article! I really enjoyed reading it!
On May 12, 2009 at 8:21 pm
That was really cool,awesome pictures,I didn’t know any of this.
On May 13, 2009 at 5:55 am
truly amazing article too…
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