Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:33 pm by globalturbo
Draco the Dragon is now spitting out meteors, also known as shooting stars. The shower is active between October 6 and 10. The best evening to watch is likely October 8. This shower favors the Northern Hemisphere, but Southern Hemisphere observers might catch some Draconids, too. Fortunately, the waning gibbous Moon won’t rise until mid-to-late evening. Look for these meteors for a few hours, starting at nightfall. The Draconid meteor shower occurs every October when the Earth passes through a stream of debris from the comet 21/P Giacobini-Zinner. It's a periodic comet that orbits the Sun every 6.6 years. In 1933 and 1946 oservers reported thousands of meteors falling per hour, turning the shower into a meteor storm. There were also good shows as recently as 1988, 2005 and 2011. The Draconids will be most visible between sunset and midnight when the constellation Draco - which the shower is named after - is at its highest point in the sky. The shower will appear brighter in darker locations, so stargazers are advised to travel to the countryside for the best views. Stay Tuned!
https://youtu.be/KJNiCA4_kqs
