Coming to skies near you: the Lyrid meteor shower
Here are some facts you need to know about April's Lyrid meteor shower.
USA Today
Why are you satisfied with the astronomical events of a solar eclipse? Well, you're in luck.
The Lyrid, one of the oldest known meteor showers, will remain visible in the Northern Hemisphere over the next week. The event will be longer and more recent than a solar eclipse. So be prepared to save a blanket, some snacks, and a telescope for your harp shower over the next week.
Here's what you need to know about seeing a Lyrid shower from Iowa.
When is the Lyrid meteor shower?
The Lyre Shower began on April 15 and will remain active until April 29. Activity is expected to peak on April 23, according to NASA.
How to find tonight's Lyrid meteor shower?
Carolyn Roberts, astronomy lab coordinator at the University of Iowa, said those searching for Lyrids may have to do some work because visibility may be low due to light pollution and the bright moon.
The best time to catch lyre showers is during the hours of darkness, after moonset and before dawn, according to NASA. The radiant zone, or the area in the sky from which Lyres appears to be coming, is located near the constellation Lyra. This is located near the star Vega, which is one of the brightest stars in the sky, according to what the American “space” website reported. NASA.
“Get out into a completely dark place,” Roberts said. “Any garden that opens up later or perhaps if you know a favorite farm, the ideal thing is to look up and get a clear, full view of the sky.”
Iowa State Parks are open until 10:30 p.m. County parks in Polk and Story counties are open until 10:30 p.m. and parks in Dallas County are open until 10 p.m.
Tips for viewing the Lyrid meteor shower from Iowa
Consider heading to rural areas of Iowa to avoid city lights and street lights. There will be no long glowing dust trails behind the meteors. Alternatively, you can identify the shower by an occasional bright flash called a fireball NASA.
It is also helpful to lie on the ground to see as much of the sky as possible. Spend 30 minutes in the dark to allow your eyes to adjust to seeing the meteors NASA.
Although you don't want an obscured sky, Roberts said having a small building or tree to cover the bright moon will help improve visibility. Look to the northeastern sky and see it in the late evening or early morning. As the night continues, the source of the Lyrid River will rise northward, Roberts said.
“So look roughly in the northeast direction,” she said. “Really seeing the whole sky is what matters in meteor shower observations. They can be almost anywhere in the sky, so making the whole sky visible and viewable so that when a small meteor shoots across the sky, you're looking.”
Don't bother with telescopes or binoculars. Using any of these tools will limit your view of the sky, reducing your chances of seeing a meteor, Roberts said.
“Be comfortable, allow your eyes to adjust, and let your eyes take in as much of the sky as possible,” Roberts said.
How many meteors can I see during a Lyre shower?
You can catch 10 to 20 Lyrid meteorites per hour during peak time. They will travel at a speed of 29 miles per second, according to the British Daily Mail NASA. Roberts compared Lerides to what was depicted as a shooting star. Although meteors are different from meteors, they also shoot across the sky for a split second.
“The majority of them will be a second long or shorter,” Roberts said. “But when you think of a stereotype like a shooting star, that's a meteorite, but again it's not a star at all.”
Kate Kelly is the Register's general assignment reporter. Accessed at [email protected] Or follow her on Twitter at @Kelly17.
