SHOOTING STARS. This Thursday, April 21, 2022, the rain of shooting stars from the Lyrids promises a magical spectacle in the sky. At what time and how to observe them? But in fact, what is it exactly?
[Mis à jour le 21 avril 2022 à 12h21] The Lyrids, one of the most beautiful meteor showers of the year, will be at their maximum activity this night from April 21 to April 22, 2022, with an hourly rate of around twenty meteors to be observed per hour, i.e. a shooting star every 3 minutes or so. To observe them, look up towards the bright star Vega, located to the northeast. The brightness of the Moon decreasing gibbous will allow a perfect observation, associated with a very favorable weather in the north of the country.
If you miss this great stellar rendezvous, don’t panic! The Lyrides are active until April 25, every night, from around 9:30 p.m. Then will come the meteor shower of the Eta Aquarids, visible in the sky at the beginning of May, then the star of the year, the Perseids, in August. Here is everything you need to know about the famous Lyrid rain, its definition, its observation, as well as the program for the year in terms of shooting stars.
Located in the constellation of Lyra and active from April 16 to April 25, the meteor shower of the Lyrids knows, according to the International Meteor Organization, a peak on the night of April 21 to 22 each year, with a rate 5 to 20 observable meteors per hour, launched at an average of 48 kilometers per hour. These are dust grains from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, discovered in 1861, which fall on the Earth’s atmosphere when the Earth passes through it.
You have to be awake at the beginning of the night before moonrise, until 2 a.m., to observe shooting stars on the night of Thursday April 21 to Friday April 22. Indeed, the light of the Moon interferes with observations and makes shooting stars invisible. However, if you are observing shooting stars after moonrise, stand with your back to the moon if possible. The brightness should not interfere with the observation of the most visible meteors, especially if you manage to be far from city centers or points of light. When you see a meteor, multiply your wishes, a well-known tradition!
Find below all the essential advice for good preparation and good observation of the stars. Photography enthusiasts will learn all the tricks necessary to immortalize these magical celestial ballets.
No danger or need for specific equipment! Shooting stars are visible to the naked eye by everyone. No need therefore to take out the binoculars or the telescope, given the high speed at which the fireballs pass through the Earth’s atmosphere (an average of 50 km/second). About a quarter of shooting stars leave visible trails for several seconds. To be able to observe a shower of shooting stars in an optimal way, the sky must not be obscured by clouds, or by light pollution.
The stellar tradition, which occurs each year at the same period, will be perpetuated, but beware of confusion: it is obviously not a question of “star” strictly speaking, but of asteroid dust which passes very close to our planet and some of which come into “collision” with the Earth. Shooting stars have nothing to do with stars. It is an extinct comet, or else an asteroid which, while moving, leaves behind a large number of debris.
Luminous phenomena, shooting stars (or meteors) thus appear each time tiny meteorites come into contact with the dense layers of the atmosphere, at speeds ranging from 15 to 70 km per second. Due to the friction of the air, this dust – sometimes more or less large pebbles – becomes incandescent before volatilizing. Electrified as they pass, the air becomes luminescent, giving the impression of persistent streaks that seem to come from the same place in the sky: the constellation of Lyra for the Lyrids, that of Orion for the Orionids, Perseus for the Perseids , Leo for the Leonids or Gemini for the Geminids…
- The Eta Aquarids : active from April 15 to May 27, mainly visible in the southern hemisphere, the meteor shower is supplied by Comet Halley. Its peak is located on the night of May 4-5, with a rate of 30 meteors per hour.
- The Perseids : Made up of debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, the Perseid meteor shower is the most famous of the year because it is one of the most active. This meteoritic swarm in the constellation of Perseus extends from July 14th to September 1, with a peak of activity on the night of August 11 to 12. It is the most spectacular of all, with its 100 observable shooting stars per hour!
- The Orionids : active from September 26 to November 22, they are particularly observable from October 20 to 21, in mid-autumn. The Orionids, named after the constellation Orion (easy to recognize, its seven brightest stars form a bow tie or slightly tilted hourglass!), are visible in the northern hemisphere at this time of year . Depending on the year, between 50 and 75 shooting stars pierce the sky every hour.
- The Leonids : located in the zodiac constellation of Leo, the Leonid meteor shower appears from November 3 to December 2 with a peak of activity from November 17 to 18. If 10 to 20 shooting stars are observable in the sky per hour, every 33 years, the spectacle becomes unforgettable after the passage of comet 55P/Temple-Tuttle: the rain of shooting stars then turns into a storm, with thousands of meteors in one night!
- The Geminids : produced by a celestial object called “3200 Phaethon”, the Geminids would thus come not from comets, but from asteroids. Active from November 19 to December 24, their peak of activity is located between December 13 and 14 with an hourly rate of 60 to 75 meteors, or even 120 to 160 meteors per hour at the strongest. To observe them, visualize the constellation Gemini above the eastern horizon.
- The Ursids : this meteor shower is active from December 13 to 24, associated with comet 8P/Tuttle. The peak of the Ursids takes place just before Christmas on the night of December 21 to 22. It is of low intensity, with 10 to 20 meteors per hour.
- The Quadrantids : active during the winter nights between December 26 and January 16, they display a rate of 25 meteors per hour, during the night of January 2 to 3. They originate from the sleepy comet 2003 EH1.