Delta Aquarids

This year the Delta Aquarids will peak 28-29 July. Due to moonlight from a last-quarter moon, the Delta Aquarids will be nearly impossible to see this year during their peak. However, you may still be able to catch a few of these meteors while viewing the Perseids in August.
Fast Facts

• Comet of Origin: Unknown, 96P Machholz (suspected)
• Radiant: Constellation Aquarius
• Active: 12 July - 23 Aug. 2013
• Peak Activity: 28-29 July 2013
• Peak Activity Meteor Count: Approximately 20 meteors per hour
• Meteor Velocity: 41 km (25 miles) per second

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About the Meteor Shower
The Delta Aquarids are active beginning in mid-July and are visible until late-August. These faint meteors are difficult to spot, and if there is a moon you will not be able to view them. If the moon has set, your best chance to see the Delta Aquarids is when meteor rates rise during the shower's peak at the end of July.
If you are unable to view the Delta Aquarids during their peak, look for them again during the Perseids in August: You will know that you have spotted a Delta Aquarid if the meteor is coming from the direction of the constellation Aquarius -- its radiant will be in the southern part of the sky. The Perseid radiant is in the northern part of the sky.
Viewing Tips
The Delta Aquarids are best viewed in the Southern Hemisphere and southern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Find an area well away from city or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. However, looking halfway between the horizon and the zenith, and 45 degrees from the constellation of Aquarius will improve your chances of viewing the Delta Aquarids. In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient -- the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.
Where Do Meteors Come From?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the sun, the dust they emit gradually spreads into a dusty trail around their orbits. Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to enter our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

Comet Machholz. Copyright: Jimmy Westlake.

The Comet
The pieces of space debris that interact with our atmosphere to create the Delta Aquarids are suspected to originate from comet 96P/Machholz. This short period comet orbits the sun about once every five years.
Comet Machholz was discovered by Donald Machholz in 1986. Comet Machholz's nucleus is 6.4 km ( about 4 miles) across (this is a little more than half the size of the object hypothesized to have led the demise of the dinosaurs).
The Radiant
Their radiant -- the point in the sky from which the Delta Aquarids appear to come from -- is the constellation Aquarius. The third brightest star within this constellation is called Delta. This star and the constellation is also where we get the name for the shower: Delta Aquarids.
Note: The constellation for which a meteor shower is named only serves to aid viewers in determining which shower they are viewing on a given night. The constellation is not the source of the meteors. The name of a star (Delta) is part of this shower's name in order to help distinguish it from another meteor shower, the Eta Aquarids, which peak in May.

Lyrids

This year the Lyrids will peak during the early morning hours of 21-22 April. Bright light from a nearly full moon will make it difficult to see these meteors before moonset. You will have a better chance of viewing the Lyrids if you watch after moonset and before dawn on 22 April. Lyrid meteors are known for their luminous dust trains, which can be observable for several seconds.
Fast Facts

• Comet of Origin: C/1861 G1 Thatcher
• Radiant: constellation Lyra
• Active: 16-26 April 2013
• Peak Activity: 21-22 April 2013
• Peak Activity Meteor Count: 10-20 meteors per hour
• Meteor Velocity: 49 km (30 miles) per second

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About the Meteor Shower
The Lyrids, which peak during late April, are one of the oldest known meteor showers: Lyrids have been observed for 2,700 years. (The first recorded sighting of a Lyrid meteor shower goes back to 687 BC by the Chinese.)
The Lyrids are known for their fast and bright meteors, though not as fast or as plentiful as the famous Perseids in August, Lyrids can surprise watchers with as many as 100 meteors seen per hour. Sightings of these heavier showers occurred in 1803 (Virginia), 1922 (Greece), 1945 (Japan), and 1982 (U.S.). In general, 10-20 Lyrid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak.
Lyrids frequently leave glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere. These trains can be observable for several seconds.
Viewing Tips
The Lyrids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the dark hours (after moonset and before dawn). Find an area well away from city or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient -- the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.
Where Do Meteors Come From?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to enter our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.
The Comet
The pieces of space debris that interact with our atmosphere to create the Lyrids originate from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. Comet Thatcher was discovered on 5 April 1861 by A. E. Thatcher.

The Radiant
Their radiant -- the point in the sky from which the Lyrids appear to come from -- is the constellation Lyra, the harp. Lyrids appear to particularly radiate out from the star Vega -- Vega is the brightest star within this constellation. (Helpful Hint: Vega is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and is easy to spot in even light-polluted areas.) The constellation of Lyra is also where we get the name for the shower: Lyrids.
It is actually better to view the Lyrids away from their radiant: They will appear longer and more spectacular from this perspective. If you do look directly at the radiant, you will find that the meteors will be short -- this is called foreshortening.
Note: The constellation for which a meteor shower is named only serves to aid viewers in determining which shower they are viewing on a given night. The constellation is not the source of the meteors.

Quadrantids

This year the Quadrantids will peak during the night and early morning hours of 3 January. Meteor rates increase after midnight and peak between 3 a.m. and dawn. However, moonlight from a waning gibbous moon will wash out the more faint meteors.
Fast Facts

• Origin: 2003 EH1 (an asteroid or a possible "rock comet")
• Radiant: constellation Bootes; originally Quadrans Muralis (now a defunct constellation)
• Active: 28 Dec. 2012 - 12 Jan. 2013
• Peak Activity: 3 Jan. 2013
• Peak Activity Meteor Count: Approximately 120 meteors per hour
• Meteor Velocity: 41 km (25.5 miles) per second

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About the Meteor Shower
The Quadrantids, which peak during early-January each year, are considered to be one of the best annual meteor showers. Most meteor showers have a two day peak, which makes catching sight of these other meteors much more possible. The Quadrantids peak, on the other hand, is much shorter -- only a few hours. (The reason the peak is so short is due to the shower's thin stream of particles and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle.) During its peak, 120 Quadrantid meteors can be seen per hour.
Quadrantids are also known for their bright fireball meteors. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak. This is due to the fact that fireballs originate from larger particles of material. Fireballs are also brighter, with magnitudes brighter than -3.
Viewing Tips
The Quadrantids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere (this shower can also be seen at latitudes north of 51 degrees south) during the night and pre-dawn hours. To view the Quadrantids, find an area well away from city or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing north and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. In less than 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient -- the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.
Where Do Meteors Come From?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When these objects come around the sun, the dust they emit gradually spreads into a dusty trail around their orbits. Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to enter our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.
The Asteroid
Unlike most meteor showers which originate from comets, the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid: asteroid 2003 EH1. Asteroid 2003 EH1 takes 5.52 years to orbit the sun once. It is possible that 2003 EH is a "dead comet" or a new kind of object being discussed by astronomers called a "rock comet."
2003 EH1 was discovered on 6 March 2003 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS). 2003 EH1 is a small asteroid -- its diameter measures only about 3 km across. It was astronomer and research scientist Peter Jenniskens who realized that 2003 EH1 is the source for the Quadrantid meteors.
The Radiant
Their radiant -- the point in the sky from which the Quadrantids appear to come from -- is a defunct constellation called "Quadrans Muralis." French astronomer Jerome Lalande created this constellation in 1795. (The constellation takes its name from an early astronomical instrument used to observe and plot stars: a quadrans.) The Quadrantids were first seen in 1825.
When the International Astronomical Union (IAU) created a list of recognized modern constellations in 1922, Quadrans Muralis was left off the list. Quadrans Muralis is located between the constellations of Bootes and Draco (near the end of the handle of the "Big Dipper"). An alternative name for the Quadrantids is the Bootids since the meteors appear to radiate from the modern constellation of Bootes. Even though, the constellation may no longer be recognized, it was considered a constellation long enough to give the meteor shower its name.
Note: The constellation for which a meteor shower is named only serves to aid viewers in determining which shower they are viewing on a given night. The constellation is not the source of the meteors. Also, you need not look only to the constellation of Bootes to view the Quadrantids -- they are visible throughout the night sky.

Eta Aquarids

This year the Eta Aquarids will peak during the early morning hours of 4-5 May. (Best viewing takes place in the hour or two before dawn.) There will be a thin crescent moon, however it should not interfere with viewing the Eta Aquarids. Some Eta Aquarid meteors may be visible for a few days before and after 5 May, due to this shower's broad peak.
Fast Facts

• Comet of Origin: 1P Halley
• Radiant: constellation Aquarius
• Active: 19 April - 28 May 2013
• Peak Activity: 4-5 May 2013
• Peak Activity Meteor Count: approximately 30 meteors per hour
• Meteor Velocity: 66 km (44 miles) per second

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About the Meteor Storm
The Eta Aquarids peak during early-May each year. Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their speed. These meteors are fast -- traveling at about 66 km/s (148,000 mph ) into Earth's atmosphere. Fast meteors can leave glowing "trains" (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes. In general, 30 Eta Aquarid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak.
Viewing Tips
The Eta Aquarids are viewable in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres during the pre-dawn hours. The Southern Hemisphere is preferable for viewing the Eta Aquarids where as many as 30 - 40 meteors can be seen per hour. The Northern Hemisphere has an hourly rate of only about 10 meteors. This is due to the location of the radiant at different latitudes. The constellation of Aquarius -- home to the radiant of the Eta Aquarids -- is higher up in the sky in the Southern Hemisphere than it is in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, Eta Aquarid meteors can be seen as "earthgrazers." Earthgrazers are long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon.
To view the Eta Aquarids find an area well away from city or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient -- the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.
Where Do Meteors Come From?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to enter our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.

Comet Halley. Credit: ESA/Max-Planck-Institute

The Comet
The pieces of space debris that interact with our atmosphere to create the Eta Aquarids originate from comet 1P/Halley. Each time that Halley returns to the inner solar system its nucleus sheds a layer of ice and rock into space. The dust grains eventually become the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October if they collide with Earth's atmosphere.
Comet Halley takes about 76 years to orbit the sun once. The last time comet Halley was seen from the Earth was in 1986. Comet Halley will not enter the inner solar system again until 2061.
Comet Halley was discovered in 1705 by Edmund Halley. Edmund Halley predicted the orbit of the comet through past observations of comets, suggesting that these sightings were in fact all the same comet. Halley is perhaps the most famous comet -- it has been sighted for millennia. This comet is even featured in the Bayeux tapestry, which chronicles the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Comet Halley's dimensions are 16 x 8 x 8 km. It is one of the darkest, or least reflective, objects in the solar system, with an albedo of 0.03.
The Radiant
Their radiant -- the point in the sky from which the Eta Aquarids appear to come from -- is the constellation Aquarius, the water bearer. One of the brightest stars within Aquarius is called Eta Aquarii, and these meteors appear from this area of the constellation. (Eta Aquarii is one of the four stars that make up the top of the "water jar.") This star and the constellation is where we get the name for this shower: Eta Aquarids.
Note: The constellation for which a meteor shower is named only serves to aid viewers in determining which shower they are viewing on a given night. The constellation is not the source of the meteors.

Meteors & Meteorites

1. Meteoroids become meteors -- or shooting stars -- when they interact with a planet's atmosphere and cause a streak of light in the sky. Debris that makes it to the surface of a planet from meteoroids are called meteorites.
2. Meteorites may vary in size from tiny grains to large boulders. One of the largest meteorite found on Earth is the Hoba meteorite from southwest Africa, which weighs roughly 54,000 kg (119,000 pounds).
3. Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation which is close to the radiant (the position from which the meteor appears to come).

   Scientists believe this rock was blasted from Mars to the Earth.

4. Meteors and meteorites begin as meteoroids, which are little chunks of rock and debris in space.
5. Most meteorites are either iron, stony or stony-iron.
6. Meteorites may look very much like Earth rocks, or they may have a burned appearance. Some may have depressioned (thumbprint-like), roughened or smooth exteriors.
7. Many of the meteor showers are associated with comets. The Leonids are associated with comet Tempel-Tuttle; Aquarids and Orionids with comet Halley, and the Taurids with comet Encke.
8. When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail. Every year the Earth passes through the comet trails, which allows the debris to enter our atmosphere where it burns up and creates fiery and colorful streaks (meteors) in the sky.
9. Leonid MAC (an airborne mission that took flight during the years 1998 - 2002) studied the interaction of meteoroids with the Earth's atmosphere.
10. Meteoroids, meteors and meteorites cannot support life. However, they may have provided the Earth with a source of amino acids: the building blocks of life.