Meteor Shower . When a meteor enters the Earth’s atmosphere, a luminous trace called a shooting star or meteor is observed, this is how the meteor shower is formed when several of these fall
Summary
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- 1 Origin
- 1 Kites
- 2 Meteors
- 2 History
- 3 Meteor Shower 2016
- 4 Stages per months
- January 1
- 2 February and March
- April 3
- 4 May
- June 5
- July 6
- 7 August
- 8 September
- 9 October
- November 10
- December 11
- 5 Major meteor showers
- 6 Parameters that characterize a meteor shower
- 7 Sources
Source
Kites
When a comet, in its orbit, enters the interior of the Solar System , the interaction with the solar wind causes its surface to be activated. Gases and materials from the comet’s surface are thrown into space, orbiting the Sun in orbits very similar to those of its comet of origin. This forms a stream or ring of particles, technically called a meteor swarm.
Earth’s orbit crosses some swarms of short-period comets, producing annual meteor showers, such as the Leonids or the Perseids . When the activity of a meteor shower exceeds 1000 meteors per hour, it is called a meteor storm.
It is believed that some asteroids may be exhausted comets , that is, comets that have lost all their volatile elements. Therefore, some of these phenomena have asteroids as their parent body. This is the case of the Geminids, which are in the orbit of the asteroid (3200) Phaeton.
Meteors
When a meteorite enters the Earth’s atmosphere, a luminous trace called a shooting star or meteor is observed. This luminous effect is produced by the ionization of the atmosphere generated by the particle.
Most meteors are the size of grains of sand and disintegrate about 80 to 100 kilometers up. Some with greater mass get to have a considerable brightness, and are called bólidos (in English, fireballs).
Only when meteoroids are of considerable mass can they pass completely through the atmosphere to the surface . These meteoroids are called meteorites .
History
Shooting stars were believed to be atmospheric phenomena and hence their name meteors . The Babylonians were the first to record their observation of meteor showers, they found tablets with writing dating from 747 BC. n. and. .
On March 6 of 687 during the Chou Dynasty , a Chinese writer wrote: “At midnight, the stars began to fall as rain.”
The first studies on this phenomenon were published in 1834 by Denison Olmsted on the activity of the meteor shower that was observed in November 1832 and 1833 . Starting in 1867 , predictions were made of the trajectories of the particles and the period in which this type of phenomenon could occur. In 1999 several astrophysicists developed and tested models of meteoroid dynamics for the first time.
Meteor Shower 2016
Star showers
The first interesting meteor shower of 2016 is the Quadrantids , whose maximum is on January 4 . There will be very good observation conditions, especially during the first part of the night. Nor can we forget the ETA AQUARIIDS, a barrage of upper-middle, activity whose maximum is 5 maypole since that date where the Moon will be very close to the New phase.
The famous Perseids of August 12 will also have a relatively good year, since shortly after midnight the Moon will set and leave a relatively dark sky to enjoy the meteors of one of the most intense and expected rains of the year.
The Geminids , the other great ones expected of the year, will coincide on December 14 with the Moon for much of the night due to the proximity to the Full phase. In spite of everything, they are bright and slow meteors, so you will be able to see some of them. And to finish 2016 , the Ursids can give us a relatively good show due to the darkness of the night of its maximum on December 22.
Stages by months
January
As every January 4 we have the Quadrantids (010 QUA), and this year we can enjoy them in very good conditions, especially during the first part of the night. With a speed of 41 km / s, the meteoroids will impact the atmosphere in an amount that they predict at 120 meteors / hour.
February and March
They are not good months for observing meteors, although on February 8 and March 14 we will have the maximums of the Alpha Centaurids (102 ACE) and the Gamma Normids (118 GNO), respectively. Both have a rate of 6 meteors / hour, which is not too active, but they have good observing conditions, especially in the second part of the night, so that, in addition to meteors from these showers , we can also see others. swarms like any night without highs.
April
The Lyrids (006 LYR) are usually a good rain but this year due to the full Moon it will not be good to appreciate it: the 18 meteors / hour on April 22, the day of its maximum, will be masked by the light of our satellite. The next day, the Pi Puppids (113 PPU) also meet our satellite but even when there are favorable conditions it is a rain that does not usually leave too many meteors.
May
One of the great rains of 2016 will be the Eta Acuáridas (031 ETA), whose maximum is scheduled for May 5. With an activity of 40 meteors / hour and excellent moon conditions for much of the night , they make it a good date with the sky to enjoy its meteors. Also in May, specifically on the 8th, we will be able to see a meteor from the little-known Eta Líridas rain (145 ELY), a shower with a maximum activity of 3 meteors / hour.
June
A peculiar rain is the one that has a maximum on June 7. It is about the Diurnal Arietids (171 ARI), a rain whose radiant is in broad daylight. In nocturnal conditions it would offer us about 50 meteors / hour, but being the day, the observation conditions are terrible. However, having a medium-high activity, perhaps some privileged person will be able to see a bright meteor in the light of day
July
Of all the three meteor showers that the month of July has, the Southern Aquarid Delta (005 SDA) stands out, which with an activity of about 16 meteors / hour on July 30 will provide a very good observation of meteors until shortly before the Sunrise. The other two showers this month are, with a rate both of 5 meteors / hour, the Pisces Austrinids (183 PAU) on July 28 and the Alpha Capricornids (001 CAP) on July 30.
August
The most famous rain of the year takes place this month. Of course, we are talking about the Perseids (007 PER). With an estimated forecast of 150 meteors / hour we will be able to enjoy it on August 12 with a good observation, especially after midnight. This month we also have the Aurígidas (206 AUR) on August 31 with very good observing conditions, although with a low rate: 6 meteors / hour.
September
It will be a month of little meteoric activity … On the 9th we have the Epsilon Perseids of September (208 SPE), with a rate of 5 meteors / hour in good observing conditions. On the 27th we have another daytime rain, the Diurnal Sextantids (221 DSX), with terrible observing conditions coupled with a low rate, also of 5 meteors / hour.
October
We can find up to six rains in November, but due to the relationship between activity and observation conditions, we highlight the Draconids (009 DRA), whose maximum is scheduled for October 8. It will have good viewing conditions during the second part of the night and its activity rate is variable tending to low, but lately it is providing acceptable peaks of activity.
November
November is another month with several meteor showers, but low activity. Due to their relevance, the Leonids (013 LEO) stand out, whose maximum is scheduled for the 17th with an activity of 15 meteors / hour. It is not a high activity, but every 33 years it surprises us with a rain whose peaks reach thousands of meteors . Unfortunately, this year it does not play.
December
The last month of the year brings us up to eight meteor showers, all of them very low in activity except one: the Geminids (004 GEM). With 120 meteors / hour of activity for December 14. Of course … The observation conditions will not be favorable due to the Moon very close to the full phase. We will have to settle for the Ursids (015 URS) of December 22 and an activity of 10 meteors / hour with very good observing conditions after midnight.
Major meteor showers
These are the most notable annual rains:
- Quadrantids (January)
- Lyrid (April)
- Perseids (August)
- Orionids (October)
- Leonidas (November)
- Geminids (December)
Parameters that characterize a meteor shower
- Radiant: It is the point in the sky from which the meteors seem to come out of a shower. It is measured by the Alpha and Delta coordinates. Alpha is Right Ascension (RA). Delta is the declination (Ddec).
- Zenital Hourly Rate (THZ). It’s the maximum number of meteors per hour observable under ideal conditions – a perfectly clear sky with the radiant rain just above your head (the zenith).
- Population index. Ratio of the magnitude distribution (brightness) of a meteor shower.
