“Downing stars” from a new meteor shower lit up the night sky in a dazzling display on Monday and Tuesday nights, even if it wasn’t the “meteor storm” some stargazers hoped.
the new meteor shower It peaked around midnight on Tuesday (May 31) as the remnants of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (also known as SW 3) burned harmlessly at Earth’s atmosphere As part of the scholars now Tau Hercules meteor shower.
While the Meteorite Festival has never hit the conditions of a “meteor storm” (with as many as 1,000 meteors an hour), it has produced enough luminous meteors to attract attention around the world. (NASA warned The storm would only occur if the debris was moving faster than 220 mph or 321 km/h, and meteorologist Bill Cook warned that “All or nothing happened. “
Related: The greatest meteor storms of all time
“The storm was not expected, but it is clear that the Earth crossed a cloud of dust from the comet,” the French Network of Meteor Observers (BOAM) wrote on twitter (Opens in a new tab) Along with a time-lapse image of shooting stars. (Translation from French done by Space.com.)
Related: Meteor shower 2022 guide: dates and viewing tips
Restore activity #meteore #TauHerculids hier soir. Ce n’est pas la tempête prévue mais la 🌍 à bien traversée un nuage de poussières de la comète 73P / Schwassmann-Wachmann. Photo: 36 #meteor, 30-31/05/2022, camera CAMS3900 de @astronomie54 #Nancy #France pic.twitter.com/zs2TQ4zpaHMay 31, 2022
Tim Reyes, a NASA engineer, who is based in Silicon Valley, was out for several hours observing Tau Hercules. He publishes his notes and a picture of him Personal Twitter account (Opens in a new tab)He said, “No storm is above average [and] Short duration, about three hours.”
The peak was also half an hour later than her forecast, Reyes said, at 10:30 PM PT (1:30 AM ET or 0550 GMT).
#TauHerculids 2022. My notes: No storm level above average showers are short duration, about 3 hours, peak was at 10:30 PM PT not 945 or 10 PM. pic.twitter.com/XVome9qnx0May 31, 2022
Several other observers have detected the storm around the United States, along with images and in some cases, other celestial bodies such as the Milky Way. Notes helped along new Moonand in the Americas, shines from constellation Hercules It was high in the sky and away from the thick weather conditions near the horizon.
If you missed the offer, consult Coming meteor showers 2022 to know the date of the next search. August is usually a great time, with the peak of bright Perseids this year around August 11-12.
If you’re hoping to photograph any meteor showers, or want to get your gear ready for your next skywatching event, check out The best cameras for astrophotography And the Best lenses for astrophotography. Read our guide to How to photograph meteors and meteor showers For more helpful tips for planning your photo session.
Related: Meteor shower 2022 guide: dates and viewing tips
No meteor storm, but definitely some #TauHerculids tonight, and an excuse to shoot the Milky Way. MustafaHosny Oh God, Amen LordMay 31, 2022
A bright, slow-moving Tau Herculid meteor over north Los Angeles. # TauHerculids pic.twitter.com/XGIrigQKx8May 31, 2022
Watched #TauHerculids around 25 tonight from 1030 until MN CT.May 31, 2022
#TauHerculids over Middleville, Michigan just after midnight. #wmiwx #miwx #StormHour #Astrophotography #Meteors pic.twitter.com/P6nyWA5FCrMay 31, 2022
From rural Central Texas, I could see quite a few small fireballs that exploded short but bright. I was able to take one photo after zooming in on Ursa Major (“Big Dipper :)” with a 12mm lens and a Nikon D750 @ISO8000 (!). #TauHerculids #meteor #astronomy pic.twitter.com/d58sKUji8MMay 31, 2022
Fragments of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 are scattered across the night sky, entering Earth’s atmosphere at breakneck speeds and putting on a spectacular display of the #TauHerculids meteor shower. pic.twitter.com/5ffsY5onBPMay 31, 2022
Large spotty meteor (probably #TauHerculids) last night at 10:21pm Colorado Looking southwest, I got a few faint meteors and satellites before the thick clouds moved in. pic.twitter.com/QzYsx3z2cdMay 31, 2022
Caught this beauty gushing across Mount Lukens from La Crescenta (9 miles north of downtown #LA)! @zwoasi asi224mc + 2.1mm fisheye lens #Meteorshower #MeteorStorm #meteor #TauHerculids pic.twitter.com/5NdZgzANqTMay 31, 2022
Editor’s note: If you took an amazing photo of the tau Herculids meteor shower and would like to share it with the readers of Space.com, send your photo(s), comments, name and location to [email protected].
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