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Forbes
26-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
How To See The Bootid Meteor Shower This Friday Night
The Bootid meteor shower reaches its peak on Friday, June 27, 2025. As twilight fades on Friday, June 27, skywatchers may see 'shooting stars' in the night sky as the Bootid meteor shower reaches its peak. A highly variable display, the exact number visible is unknown and could range from just a few per hour to as many as a hundred, according to the BBC. That is no guarantee of seeing shooting stars, but what it lacks in predictability, it makes up for in convenience, with the best potential views possible as soon as it gets dark. Here's everything you need to know about the peak of the Bootid meteor shower this Friday. Meteor Shower: Where And When to Look The best times to catch the Bootid meteor shower are a couple of hours before dawn and after sunset on June 27. The actual peak of the Bootid meteor shower will take place around 07:00 EDT, so the best displays might be seen before dawn on June 27, according to However, the source constellation — known as its radiant point — is the constellation Boötes the Herdsman, which is at its highest in the sky as day turns to night. As dusk turns to night on June 27, the shower is likely to produce its most impressive displays. The exact location of the radiant point is between the bright star Arcturus — the brightest in Boötes — and the star Alkaid at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper, according to the International Meteor Organization. They'll be easy to find high in the western sky. How to find Arcturus and Bootes in the night sky. Meteor Shower: What You'll See In addition to having two opportunities to view the Bootid meteor shower, its timing is favorable. With a new moon earlier this week, the pre-dawn and post-sunset hours are free from strong moonlight. However, if you head outside before it gets dark — about 45 minutes after sunset — and look to the west-northwest, you'll see a 9%-lit crescent moon with the planet Mercury to its lower right. The cause of the Bootid meteor shower is dust and debris left in the inner solar system by comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke, a near-Earth short-period comet that orbits the sun every six years. It will next loop around the sun in August 2027. About 3.2 miles (5.2 kilometers) in diameter, according to NASA, it was first discovered in 1819. Meteor Shower: Observing Tips Since the Bootid meteor shower is so unpredictable, it's best to treat June 27 as merely a great night to go stargazing if the skies are clear, with shooting stars a bonus. A location with an unobstructed view — free from buildings, trees, or hills — is key. You don't need any equipment, just your naked eyes (binoculars or telescopes will significantly reduce your chance of seeing any shooting stars). Sunday, June 29: Moon And Mars In Conjunction What's Next In The Night Sky There's more going on this week than just a meteor shower. After sunset on Saturday, June 28, a 16%-lit crescent moon will be aligned with the bright star Regulus in Leo and the planet Mars. Come back on Sunday, June 29, and you'll see one of the sky highlights of June 2025 — a 24%-lit crescent moon and Mars just a fifth of a degree apart. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
NDTV
21-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
As Trump Reveals 'Golden Dome', A Look At India's Shield, Israel's Iron Dome
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Donald Trump proposed a $175 billion "golden dome" missile defense system for the U.S., aiming to enhance protection against aerial threats. The plan includes advanced technologies similar to Israel's Iron Dome, focusing on multi-tiered defense capabilities. New Delhi: Donald Trump wants a ' golden dome ' - a ground- and space-based missile defence system - protecting the US and possibly Canada too, even if it doesn't want to be the 51st state. The American President made his big announcement Tuesday, talking of an advanced shield to counter next-gen aerial threats, including ballistic and cruise missiles. He said his 'golden dome' - which will cost an estimated US$ 175 billion - would eventually "deploy next-generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors". Trump has been pitching the 'golden dome' idea for weeks now, including in March when he addressed a joint sitting of the US Congress and vowed to construct a system to rival Israel's famed Iron Dome and underscore the American military's position as "the most powerful". He called out Israel on that occasion, saying, "Israel and other places have it... and the US should too. This is a very dangerous world. We're going to protect our citizens like never before." The 'Protector In The Sky' Missile defence systems are an increasingly critical part of a nation's military capabilities. Basically, it consists of interlocked, multi-tiered systems designed to detect, track, and intercept incoming ballistic weapons at various stages of flight - boost, midcourse, terminal. The goal is simple - to detect and shoot down a missile before it hits a target. Consider Israel's Iron Dome (and Arrow) systems, which has intercepted thousands of rockets and missiles since it went online in 2011. Evidence of its importance was demonstrated in April and October last year, when it shot down most of over 100 missiles fired by Iran. Israel's Iron Dome system intercepts missiles fired on Tel Aviv. Iron Dome and Arrow were also in action the year before that - when it intercepted rockets fired by Hamas in the military conflict that broke out after the group's October 7 attack on civilians. Yes, there were questions about the system reaching saturation point after the Hamas fired over 5,000 rockets in 20 minutes, and the Iron Dome failed to intercept several. However, the point remains - the missile defence shield has saved hundreds of thousands of lives over time. NDTV Explains | Why The Iron Dome Failed To Defend Hamas Rocket Barrage And then consider India's integrated air defence network, spearheaded by the indigenously developed Akashteer system that protected the country during Operation Sindoor in May, when Pakistan fired hundreds of drones and missiles at military bases and civilian centres. So what is in each of these three systems? US' 'Golden Dome' The outermost layer will be the Space-Based Infrared System, or SBIRS, which will be paired with ground-based radars to red flag incoming aerial threats by relying on satellites. Essentially, this provides early warning of missile launches. It will also include the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, or GMD, the backbone of the US' defence against intercontinental ballistic missiles. The GMD uses ground-based interceptors deployed at locations in Alaska and California to stop missiles during their midcourse phase. Space-Based Infrared System At sea, there is the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, or BMD, which employs warships to engage short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The Aegis initiative was implemented by President Barack Obama in 2009, when he shut down missile sites in Poland (much to Russia's relief and happiness) and fitted upgraded SM-2 surface-to-air missiles on US Navy warships. NDTV Explains | "Israel Has It, US Should Too": Behind Trump's 'Golden Dome' Sitting inside the BMD is the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, a mobile, land-based system that can intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. It is a hit-to-kill system; i.e., its missiles collide head-on with the threats. Incidentally, the THAAD system is also in Israel; in December last year it was used to intercept a ballistic missile reportedly fired from Yemen by the Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence For shorter range ballistic missiles and other air threats in the terminal phase, the US relies on the Patriot Advanced Capability-3, or PAC-3, interceptor missiles. These are also part of a plan to counter possible deployment of Chinese hypersonic weapons in the Pacific region. With that in mind, the US and Japan have worked together to set up PAC-3 systems there. Israel's Iron Dome The Iron Dome is at the inner part of Israel's anti-missile system. The outer layers are ' David's Sling ' for mid- to long-range missiles, and Arrow-2 and Arrow-3, for long-range ballistic missiles. It can intercept targets up to 70km away, and Israel claims the system has a 95 per cent 'kill rate' Each Iron Dome battery is made up of three main sections: a radar detection system, a computer to calculate the incoming rocket's trajectory, and a launcher that fires interceptors if the rocket is deemed likely to hit a built-up or strategic area. Explained | What Is The Iron Dome, Israel's Anti-Missile Cover Since 2011 'David's Sling' can intercept targets up to 300km away and the Arrow systems up to 2,400km; Arrow-3 can target long-range ballistic missiles even outside the Earth's atmosphere. The former began operating in 2017 and the latter has been around since 2000, when the West Asian region was roiled after the First Gulf War of 1991. And there is an upgrade coming for Israel - Iron Beam - a high-powered laser interceptor. According to the can engage at the speed of light up to a range of several kilometers, has an unlimited magazine, almost zero cost per interception, and causes minimal collateral damage. India's 'Guardians Of The Sky' India's integrated air defence system - an automated system integrates data from forces to combat aerial threats, and includes systems operated by the Army, Navy and the Air Force - was brought together under the Integrated Air Command and Control System. The multi-layered system has a section to counter drones, including by firing air defence guns. READ | "Happiest Day...": Man Behind Akash System That Stopped Pak Missiles This is followed by a second layer that includes to-a-point defence systems to protect specific areas or assets; these include short-range surface-to-air missiles like the Spyder, Pechora, and OSA-AK. The third is the medium-range surface-to-air missiles like the Akash and Indo-Israeli MRSAM. And the fourth, for area-defence, are long-range SAMs fired from the Russian-made S-400 and the fighter jets. The multi-layered AD system was in action during aerial engagements in Op Sindoor. The defence systems destroyed Pakistani drones and PL-15 missiles on the nights of May 8, 9 and 10, preventing them from entering our airspace. NDTV Explains | India's Integrated Air Defence That Outfoxed Pakistan India has also integrated the Army's Akashteer air defence system to ensure "seamless integration of ground-based, airborne and space systems", the Air Force's doctrine states. Other AD Systems? Of course, India, the US, and Israel aren't the only countries on this list; Russia has the A-135 anti-ballistic system protecting Moscow and other major cities and the potent S-400 that can knock out multiple intermediate-range ballistic missiles. India has three S-400 squadrons with two more to be delivered. China has several options, including the HQ-9 long-range, surface-to-air, anti-ballistic-capable system that has been sold to Pakistan, Morocco, Egypt, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. India has three squadrons of the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system (File). Incidentally, the Indian government said it had disabled a Pakistani HQ-9 system - which had been based in Lahore - during Operation Sindoor. Taiwan and Japan also have such systems; the former has the Sky Bow family of surface-to-air, anti-ballistic missile and anti-aircraft defense system, while the latter is set to operationalise surface-to-air interceptors called Patriot Advanced Capability-3 developed jointly with the US. And the list of countries with tiered air-defence systems will likely only increase as diplomatic and military tension continues to tighten across the world.
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
See Halley's Comet Meteors As Saturn's Rings Close: The Night Sky This Week
Halley's Comet over Uluru, outback Australia, 1986. (Photo by) Each Monday, I pick out North America's celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere). Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more. As we build to a full moon early next week, this waxing gibbous moon dominates most evenings, with our natural satellite visiting some iconic constellations, but there's also a meteor shower with a rather famous parent comet. Here's everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week: Monday, May 5: Moon In Leo Look up high in the southwestern sky after dark tonight to find the 65%-lit waxing gibbous moon beside Regulus, the brightest star in Leo and about 79 light-years from the sun. The moon will appear just a few degrees from this 'heart of the lion' star. Mars will be close by, to the lower right. Caused by detritus left in the inner solar system by Halley's comet — last seen in 1986 — a display of 'shooting stars' is possible tonight as the Eta Aqauriid meteors shower peaks. Expect about 10-20 per hour in the early hours of Tuesday, May 6, though anytime after dark on Monday, May 5, is a good time to look up. A cloudless sky is imperative, as is patience. If you're waiting for the comet itself, even more so —it's next due back in 2061. These Hubble Space Telescope images, captured from 1996 to 2000, show Saturn''s rings open up from ... More just past edge-on to nearly fully open as it moves from autumn towards winter in its Northern Hemisphere, part of the course of its 29-year journey around the Sun. (Photo courtesy of NASA via Getty Images) According to In The Sky, today sees the equinox on Saturn, which is meaningful to us on Earth because we'll completely lose sight of Saturn's rings. In practice, it's no big deal — Saturn is presently low in the east just before sunrise, and astronomers rarely put a telescope on it unless it's close to its annual bright opposition, which won't happen until Sept. 21, 2025. However, understanding what's going on at Saturn is interesting because, in some ways, it's similar to Earth. Saturn orbits the sun every 29 Earth years on an axis tilted by 27 degrees, which causes Saturn to experience seasons. Every 14.5 years, the planet's rings align perfectly with our line of sight, making them appear as an almost invisible sliver. The view will widen as the rings tilt back toward Earth, with the best views of Saturn's rings coming in 2032. These are the constellations that can be seen in spring — including Boötes. Known as 'The Herdsman,' Boötes is home to the brilliant star Arcturus, a red supergiant star about 37 light-years from the sun. Use the Big Dipper's handle to 'arc to Arcturus,' then look for a broader shape of stars fanning upward and left that, to my eyes, appears more like a kite, ice cream cone or cocktail glass in the eastern sky. The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
