Oldest known meteor shower to light up UK skies this week
Summary
The Lyrid meteor shower, the oldest known recorded meteor shower, will be visible in the UK starting April 16 and will peak on April 22. It is caused by Earth passing through dust from Comet Thatcher, producing 10 to 15 meteors per hour, with occasional bursts of up to 100. Another meteor shower, the Eta Aquarids, will also be active in April and May, created by dust from Halley’s Comet.Key Facts
- The Lyrid meteor shower originates from dust left by Comet Thatcher, which orbits the Sun every 415 years and won’t be visible again until 2283.
- The Lyrids were first recorded in 687 BCE by Chinese astronomers, making them the oldest known meteor shower.
- The shower usually shows 10 to 15 meteors per hour, but sometimes there can be up to 100 meteors an hour.
- Lyrid meteors are bright and colorful; larger pieces create fireballs that can shine brighter than Venus.
- Meteors appear to come from the Lyra constellation in the sky.
- The Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be active from April 9 to May 28, peaking on May 6, with around 40 meteors per hour.
- Eta Aquarids come from dust of Halley’s Comet, which orbits the Sun every 75-76 years and will return in 2061.
- Northern Scotland is expected to have the clearest skies for viewing the Lyrids around April 22, with better overall viewing conditions on the weekend.
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