Latest news with #AlphaCapricornid
CBS News
7 hours ago
- Science
- CBS News
Two meteor showers peak Tuesday night. Here's how to view them.
Be sure to turn your eyes to the night sky, as brief flashes of light will streak through outer space on Tuesday night. Two meteor showers will peak Tuesday night and into the following morning. Cheers emerged from the utter awe of daylight turning black as the solar eclipse in 2024 caused humanity to gather and share in the rare spectacle. But every summer in late July there are no special glasses needed, no path of totality to visit in order to witness another galactic wonder. "Really all you need to do is go out and look up," said Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium production coordinator at the Bell Museum. Two meteor showers, the Southern Delta Aquariid and Alpha Capricornid, are peaking this time of year. "The original starting point for these meteors that are coming from a meteor shower are generally from comets," LaCoursiere said. Comets are made of rock, dust, and ice orbiting the sun. When they get close to the sun, they heat up and form a fiery tail. "That material in the comet's tail, it doesn't go back to (the comet). It gets left behind," LaCoursiere said. That left over material floating in space are meteoroids. A meteor shower is when the earth encounters floating meteoroids while it orbits the sun. As the earth passes through the debris, the meteoroids enter the earth's atmosphere. They speed up and burn up, becoming meteors, also known as "shooting stars." "Meteor showers get their name from the area in the sky that they appear to come from," LaCoursiere said. The Alpha Capricornid meteor shower appears to come from the constellation Capricornus. The Southern Delta Aquariid appears to come from the constellation Aquarius. LaCoursiere said to look away from their point of origin. "If I can find Capricorn in the sky, I face away from it because those meteors are going to come from behind my head, they're going to take a few seconds to enter the atmosphere, a few seconds to heat up, and so by the time we see them, we're looking opposite from where they came from," he said. Other tips to better see a meteor shower:
The Hill
14 hours ago
- Science
- The Hill
Two meteor showers will peak simultaneously tonight: How and when to watch
(NEXSTAR) – July is once again exiting in style, treating stargazers to a meteor shower double-feature this week. The Southern Delta Aquariid and the Alpha Capricornid meteor showers will peak at the same time, in the early morning hours Wednesday. While perhaps not as stunning as the Perseids, which light up the sky in mid-August, often leaving long, sometimes-colorful 'wakes,' conditions will be good this week. The moon is waxing and only about a quarter full, so the meteors should appear bright, especially for stargazers outside of urban areas with lots of light pollution. With each shower expected to produce up to a dozen visible meteors per hour under dark skies, the doubleheader means the total number of meteors 'do add up,' said Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium program coordinator at the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota. 'Look for flashes of light in the night sky,' he said, adding that both are 'very nice classic meteor showers.' The Alpha Capricornids — produced by slower-moving meteors — may have tails that linger slightly longer in the sky, said Nick Moskovitz of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Viewing of each shower lasts through August 12. What is a meteor shower? Meteor showers, or events during which meteors can be seen radiating from a particular point in the sky, are often annual, predictable occurrences, according to the American Meteor Society (AMA). The showers themselves are usually named after the constellation in which they appear to come from. 'The showers occur when the Earth passes through a region having a greater than usual concentration of interplanetary debris, such as particles left by a disintegrating comet, at certain points in its orbit,' the AMA states on its website. 'Although the meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere on parallel trajectories, perspective makes it appear as if they originate from the same point in the sky, known as the radiant.' How to observe a meteor shower Want to see a meteor shower? Do everything you can to minimize light interference. Heading out of the city and away from street and other city lights is a good start. You may also want to pack some coffee and head out early – predawn hours when the moon is low are a great time to view meteors. Let your eyes adjust to the darkness and keep looking up – resist the temptation to look down at your phone's bright screen.
Time Magazine
14 hours ago
- Science
- Time Magazine
Two Meteor Showers Are Peaking Tonight. Here's How to See Them
Two meteor showers will hit their peak visibility on Tuesday night, lighting the skies in glowing streaks into the following morning. The Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids will be active until just Aug. 12th. Tonight marks a particularly good time to look up at the starry sky and catch them, however, as the moon will only be 27% full, increasing the visibility for the showers. The cosmic phenomena are precursors to the Perseids shower, considered the 'best meteor shower of the year' according to NASA. That shower is due to hit its peak in just a few weeks, though its visibility could be affected by the moon. Meteor showers are caused by the entrance of cosmic debris into the Earth's atmosphere at elevated speeds. They are best viewed on a clear night. Here's what to know. What are the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids? The Southern Delta Aquariids are a meteor shower typically active for a few weeks starting from mid-July. The shower travels at a velocity of 25 miles per second, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS) and is best seen by those living further south. They are typically difficult to spot due to their faint light, NASA reports, and most visible when the moon is not out. The Alpha Capricornids are not a particularly strong shower, and rarely have more than 5 meteors per hour. However, they are remarkable because those that are visible often have bright fireballs. 'If you are looking for that one spectacular event to happen during a watch session, an Alpha Capricornid may be the one that gets you the most excited,' Nick Moskovitz, an astronomer with the Lowell Observatory in Arizona told NPR. That shower will be well seen by those on either side of the equator, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). It also travels more slowly, sailing through the sky at a velocity of 14 miles per second. When and where can you see them best? Meteor showers are best seen after midnight, according to the AMS, as the darker night makes them easier to spot. That means the moon's peak also affects visibility: If the moon is more than one half illuminated when meteor showers peak, they will be difficult to observe. Onlookers should also move away from the big city to avoid pollution and other light sources interfering with their view. The Southern Delta Aquariids will be best seen in the early morning hours, AMS reports. The organization says that showers can best be spotted some 30 degrees away from their radiant—the point where meteors appear to come from. The radiant point of the Southern Delta Aquariids is located within the Aquarius constellation, while the Alpha Capricornids' is in the Capricornus constellation. Both are in the southern part of the sky, meaning those hoping to view the showers should move to a location with an unobstructed view of that area. Those who miss the two meteor showers can still try to observe the Perseids shower, which will hit its peak on August 12-13.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Double meteor shower will peak tonight: When and where to best see the shooting stars
NASA says you should give your eyes about 30 minutes to adapt to the darkness outside before you can see the meteors. Two meteor showers will peak at the same time in the early morning hours on Wednesday, a relatively uncommon astronomical occurrence caused by the Earth's orbit passing through two comets' debris trails. The Southern Delta Aquariid and the Alpha Capricornid showers have both been active since July 18 and July 12, respectively, but will peak late Tuesday night, around midnight, and continue into the early hours of Wednesday morning. These two showers combined could produce up to 20 to 30 meteors per hour, Nick Moskovitz, a planetary astronomer with the Lowell Observatory, estimates, according to NPR. Here's what to know about how to prepare for this summer's double meteor shower. What is a meteor shower? Meteorites are falling pieces of debris from comets, asteroids or meteoroids that land on Earth every day, according to NASA. When the material starts to vaporize in Earth's atmosphere, its trail can be visible to people on Earth. This is what we call 'shooting stars.' A meteor shower is what happens when there is a higher-than-usual number of meteors falling in a short period of time. What to know about the Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower The Southern Delta Aquariid shower has been active since July 18, but its peak will be late at night on July 29 until the early morning hours on July 30, NASA reported. It will remain active until about Aug. 12 and is best seen in the Southern Hemisphere. The meteor shower gets its name from the constellation Aquarius, which is where the shower originates, and the third brightest star in that constellation, which is the Delta Aquarii, reports. What to know about the Alpha Capricornid meteor shower The Alpha Capricornid shower is 'not very strong,' according to the American Meteor Society, and rarely showcases more than five meteors per hour. It has been active since July 12 and will stay active until Aug. 12. What is notable about the Alpha Capricornid shower is that it produces bright, slow-moving fireballs during its activity, which will be visible during its peak on July 29 and July 30. How to watch the meteor showers No special equipment is necessary to watch the meteor showers, but NASA does recommend that viewers try to get as far away from city lights as possible and put away their phones. 'In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors,' NASA says. 'Be patient — the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.' The best time to try to see the showers will be in the early hours on July 30, after midnight, astronomer Moskovitz told NPR. Stargazers in North America should try to find the best view of the southern part of the sky, specifically for the Southern Delta Aquariid shower, Moskovitz added. The moon is another light source that can sometimes make it hard to see meteor showers from Earth, especially if it's fully visible. Fortunately for stargazers, the moon will be in a Waxing Crescent Phase through Thursday night this week, which means it will be about 25% full, according to Astronomy magazine, so it should not impact the showers' visibility.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
How to watch two meteor showers peak together in late July
WASHINGTON (AP) — It's almost time for summer's meteor shower duet. The Southern Delta Aquariid and the Alpha Capricornid meteor showers peak at the same time — in the early morning of July 30. Without too much interference from moonlight — the waxing moon will be only about a quarter full — the meteors should appear bright and clear in regions away from city lights. With each shower expected to produce up to a dozen visible meteors per hour under dark skies, the doubleheader means the total number of meteors 'do add up,' said Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium program coordinator at the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota. 'Look for flashes of light in the night sky,' he said, adding that both are 'very nice classic meteor showers.' The Alpha Capricornids — produced by slower-moving meteors — may have tails that linger slightly longer in the sky, said Nick Moskovitz of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Viewing of each shower lasts through August 12. What is a meteor shower? As the Earth orbits the sun, several times a year it passes through debris left by passing comets and sometimes asteroids. The source of the Delta Aquariids is debris from comet 96P/Machholz. The Alpha Capricornids stem from the comet 169P/NEAT. When these fast-moving space rocks enter Earth's atmosphere, the debris encounters new resistance from the air and becomes very hot, eventually burning up. Sometimes the surrounding air glows briefly, leaving behind a fiery tail — the end of a 'shooting star.' You don't need special equipment to see the various meteor showers that flash across annually, just a spot away from city lights. How to view a meteor shower The best time to watch a meteor shower is in the early predawn hours when the moon is low in the sky. Competing sources of light — such as a bright moon or artificial glow — are the main obstacles to a clear view of meteors. Cloudless nights when the moon wanes smallest are optimal viewing opportunities. And keep looking up, not down. Your eyes will be better adapted to spot shooting stars if you aren't checking your phone. When is the next meteor shower? The next major meteor shower, the Perseids, peaks in mid August. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Solve the daily Crossword
