Alpha Capricornids meteor shower: How to watch in the UK
What is a meteor and meteor shower?
Some people call meteor showers shooting stars, but they aren't really stars, just tiny chunks of rock burning up in the Earth's atmosphere.Meteors or meteoroids are small pieces of space debris or rock that fall towards Earth's atmosphere where they burn up.As the space rock falls towards Earth the resistance of it makes it extremely hot.This produces a bright streak of glowing hot air behind it. So, what we see isn't actually the falling rock - it's the glowing heat around it - racing across the sky.When Earth encounters many meteoroids at once, we call it a meteor shower.
How can I see the Alpha Capricornids Meteor Shower?
Meteor showers are named for the constellation where the meteors appear to be coming from.For example, the meteor shower happening this month is the Alpha Capricornids meteor shower, as this is the constellation that the meteor appears to be coming from. To see a meteor shower you don't need any special equipment, but a pair of binoculars can help. The best time to spot this shower will be after midnight on or around 30 July.
Top tips on spotting meteor showers
As mentioned you can see the shooting stars with the naked eye, so you won't need any special equipment.For the best chance to spot a meteor shower you should find a location with minimal light pollution.If possible it is better to go away from urban areas where the light pollution from buildings, car headlights, street lamps and neon signs can cause too much glare.Wrap up warm and bring a chair and some thick blankets so you can sit or lie down and look up for long periods without getting neck strain, or getting too chilly.Good luck, stargazers!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Mysterious phenomenon that's causing this summer to fly by... as experts reveal the devastating consequences
If summer feels like its flying by - you may be right. Earth has seen a stretch of historically shorter days this month as the planet's rotation mysteriously accelerates.
Telegraph
27 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Alzheimer's wonder drug delays disease for four years
Alzheimer's patients can stave off the progression of disease for four years with radical new treatments, The Telegraph can reveal. Trial findings show that some patients – who were given the drug lecanemab at an early stage and had little 'pathological' change to the brain – even saw improvements in their cognitive scores. The drug was licensed for use in the UK last year after trials found it was the first medication to slow progression of disease. Over 18 months, it was found to have slowed it by 5.7 months. The new findings, from a trial of 478 patients who stayed on the drug for four years, found an average delay of almost 11 months before their disease progressed to the next stage. Remarkable results were seen in a sub-group of patients who had low levels of tau, the protein that accumulates as Alzheimer's progresses. In total, 69 per cent of those in this group had no decline at all over four years, and 56 per cent saw an improvement in their cognitive scores. Prof Christopher Van Dyck, the director of the Alzheimer's Research unit at the Yale school of medicine and the study leader, said: 'The thing I really focus on is the time saved. You will get worse over time, but it will take longer to get there.' He said the findings, presented for manufacturers Eisai, made the case for starting early in treatment of Alzheimer's as 'people with the lowest pathology do tend to do the best'. Experts said the results – presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto – offered hope that the new class of medicines could 'meaningfully change the course of the disease', not just slow decline in the short-term. They also said there was growing evidence to support earlier prescribing of such drugs, with trials planned shortly to see if similar medications, which appear to have fewer side effects, could one day be used preventively. About one million people in the UK suffer from dementia, with Alzheimer's disease the most common form. Lecanemab is part of a new class of medicines aimed at clearing amyloid plaques, the hallmark of Alzheimer's. Typically, patients with mild dementia see scores rise by between one and two points a year on scoring systems used to track the disease. But across the whole trial group, decline was measured at an increase of just 1.75 points over four years. Results from a separate trial of donanemab, a similar drug, also showed powerful results. The drug is normally given for 18 months, or until amyloid in the brain is cleared. Scientists tracked patients for a total of three years, including the time off the drug. The changes in dementia scores, compared with untreated patients, suggest that those prescribed donenamab had gained between six and 12 months before disease progressed. Dr Sheona Scales, the director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK said: 'These latest findings offer renewed hope that Alzheimer's treatments can meaningfully change the course of the disease, not just slow decline in the short term. 'New long-term data show that the benefits of donanemab may continue even after treatment ends, and people on lecanemab for up to four years maintained cognitive gains, with some even improving. Among those treated early with lecanemab and with low levels of tau, over half showed no decline after four years. 'This is the first wave of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's and, while the progress is encouraging, there are still many pieces of the puzzle we don't yet have.' Dr Scales said studies were helping to address key questions about long-term benefits, but uncertainties remained over what happens in the brain when treatment stops and whether amyloid levels stay low long-term. 'As the evidence grows, it's vital that in the UK we continue to evaluate the potential benefit that the treatments could offer to people with Alzheimer's,' she added. Results from another trial earlier this week suggest that a third treatment called trontinemab, which works in a similar way, but is engineered to reduce side effects, could be the most powerful weapon yet against dementia. The study presented earlier this week found the treatment can clear the devastating plaques associated with Alzheimer's far more rapidly than any current licensed drug. The lack of side effects means it could be offered to large populations. This also means it could be offered at a far lower price than current medications, which require intense monitoring – including regular scans – meaning it is more likely to be funded by the NHS.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk's brain chip company Neuralink to test implants in UK
Elon Musk 's brain implant company will launch a clinical study in Britain to test how its chips can allow severely paralysed patients to control everyday items with their thoughts. Neuralink is partnering with University College London Hospitals Trust and Newcastle Hospitals for the project, it said today. Those living with paralysis due to conditions such as spinal cord injuries and a nervous system disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis qualify for the study, the company revealed in a post on X. The firm began human trials on its brain implant last year after resolving safety concerns flagged by the US Food and Drug Administration. Five patients around the world with severe paralysis are using its device, according to Neuralink. They include a woman who has been paralysed for 20 years and has now regained the ability to use a computer. Audrey Crews, from Louisiana, revealed on X last month how she was now able to write her name on a computer screen thanks to Neuralink's implant. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it,' Ms Crews posted during her first signature attempt since 2005. She was severely injured in a car accident aged 16, damaging two vertebrae in her neck and leaving her with no feeling in her arms and legs. Mr Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, co-founded Neuralink in 2016 with a group of neuroscience, engineering, and robotics experts. Their goal was to merge human intelligence with artificial intelligence, treat brain disorders and potentially enhance human capabilities. The billionaire said in June that the chip technology had made 'an incredible amount of progress'. But he emphasised the company's cautious approach, adding: 'The reason we're not moving faster than we are is because we're taking great care with each individual to make sure we never miss - and, so far, we haven't.'
