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Health & Fitness

National Watch a Meteor Shower Day - June 30th

Why in the world am I telling you about National Meteor Day on June 30th? People across the country will search the skies hoping to spot a shooting star streaking across the sky. Did you know that there are millions of meteors that occur in the Earth’s atmosphere daily? That is a lot of shooting stars. Wouldn't it be so great to be soaking in your hot tub and watch a meteor shower? Well it probably won't be on the 30th, sorry. Oh, don't get me wrong, you might get lucky and see one, but chances are much better if you try to view one of the major meteor showers predicted for 2014. The next one is August 11th - 13th.

“A meteor or “shooting star” is the visible streak of light from a meteoroid or micrometeoroid, heated and glowing from entering the Earth’s atmosphere, as it sheds glowing material in its wake.” (Wikipedia)

The chemical composition and the speed of each meteoroid results in the different colors and hues seen as they race through the sky:

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  • Orange/yellow (sodium)
  • Yellow (iron)
  • Blue/green (copper)
  • Purple (potassium)
  • Red (silicate)

The majority of the meteoriods that cause meteors are only the size of a pebble and sometimes they occur in showers. There are several meteor showers scheduled for 2014. The next meteor shower viewable in our night sky is the Perseids on the nights of August 11th, 12th and 13th. In general, meteor showers are best seen after midnight and some even better seen between 2am and just before dawn. While there will be a full moon during these dates, waiting until the moon sets just before the sun rises will be your best chance to see the meteor shower “fire works”.

Meteor Showers Viewing Tips From Star Date

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To answer the most common question: Yes, you can see these meteor showers from ANYWHERE in the sky, provided it's clear and dark, away from all the city lights. Bright moonlight, within a few days of a full Moon, will also spoil the view, reducing the number of meteors that you will see.

Where to look? The best place to start is between the radiant and the zenith (straight above you). The radiant is where the meteors appear to start from, such as the constellation Perseus from which the Perseids appear to radiate.

When to look? The time of the year for each shower is determined by when Earth in its orbit crosses the stream of meteoroids. On the chart below, see the "date of maximum," which shows when meteor showers will be the strongest.

Note that the "best viewing" times are usually predawn and late evening. In nearly all showers, the radiant is highest just before dawn. (The Geminids are visible all night long, since Gemini arises just an hour or two after nightfall; the radiant is highest a little after midnight.) Sporadic meteors (unrelated to a shower) can be seen on any night, but increase in frequency after midnight and peak just before dawn.

Starting around midnight, your location on the globe spins around to the forward-facing half of Earth (in relation to the direction of orbit). At dawn, your location on the globe directly faces the direction in which Earth is traveling along its orbit. So between midnight and dawn, you'll be viewing the meteors head-on, for a more frequent display.

You don't need any special equipment. In fact, binoculars do not work for meteor showers. The naked eye is best.

Spread a blanket on the ground and look up in the dark night sky. Or warm up the hot tub, slip in, relax and look at that beautiful sky.

  • "Predawn" means an hour or so before morning twilight. Best time to view most major showers.
  • "Late evening" means approximately between 10 p.m. and midnight (or a little past).

In general, most major meteor showers are best seen after midnight; some do not even appear until after then. Usually, a better time to see them is after 2 a.m., and the best time is about an hour or so just before morning twilight. Geminids, however, can be seen starting earlier, such as around 9 or 10 p.m., until morning twilight. Sometimes Draconids may be visible at nightfall through early evening.

See the monthly Sky Watch for highlights of the night sky and a printable sky map!

What is a meteor shower?

A meteor shower is a spike in the number of meteors or "shooting stars" that streak through the night sky.

Most meteor showers are spawned by comets. As a comet orbits the Sun it sheds an icy, dusty debris stream along its orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Although the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, if you trace their paths, the meteors in each shower appear to "rain" into the sky from the same region.

Meteor showers are named for the constellation that coincides with this region in the sky, a spot known as the radiant. For instance, the radiant for the Leonid meteor shower is in the constellation Leo. The Perseid meteor shower is so named because meteors appear to fall from a point in the constellation Perseus.

What are shooting stars?

"Shooting stars" and "falling stars" are both names that describe meteors -- streaks of light across the night sky caused by small bits of interplanetary rock and debris called meteoroids vaporizing high in Earth's upper atmosphere. Traveling at tens of thousands of miles an hour, meteoroids quickly ignite from the searing friction with the atmosphere, 30 to 80 miles above the ground. Almost all are destroyed in this process; the rare few that survive and hit the ground are known as meteorites.

When a meteor appears, it seems to "shoot" quickly across the sky, and its small size and intense brightness might make you think it is a star. If you're lucky enough to spot a meteorite (a meteor that makes it all the way to the ground), and see where it hits, it's easy to think you just saw a star "fall."

How can I best view a meteor shower?

Get away from the glow of city lights and toward the constellation from which the meteors will appear to radiate.

For example, drive north to view the Leonids. Driving south may lead you to darker skies, but the glow will dominate the northern horizon, where Leo rises. Perseid meteors will appear to "rain" into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 11 p.m. in mid-August.

After you've escaped the city glow, find a dark, secluded spot where oncoming car headlights will not periodically ruin your sensitive night vision. Look for state or city parks or other safe, dark sites.

Once you have settled at your observing spot, lie back or position yourself so the horizon appears at the edge of your peripheral vision, with the stars and sky filling your field of view. Meteors will instantly grab your attention as they streak by.

How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?

If you can see each star of the Little Dipper, your eyes have "dark adapted," and your chosen site is probably dark enough. Under these conditions, you will see plenty of meteors.

What should I pack for meteor watching?

Treat meteor watching like you would the 4th of July fireworks. Pack comfortable chairs, bug spray, food and drinks, blankets, plus a red-filtered flashlight for reading maps and charts without ruining your night vision. Binoculars are not necessary. Your eyes will do just fine.

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