Current:Home > MyWhen and where to watch the peak of the Draconid meteor shower -SovereignWealth
When and where to watch the peak of the Draconid meteor shower
View
Date:2025-04-26 10:02:00
Stargazers in the northern hemisphere will have the chance to observe the Draconid meteor shower as it peaks Monday evening into early Tuesday morning.
The Draconids are somewhat of an oddity when it comes to meteor showers, in that they will be most visible in the evening hours rather than the early morning, according to EarthSky. The meteor shower's radiant point − the point from which they appear to emanate from − is the Draco, or dragon, constellation, which is at it's highest point in the evening.
The moon will only be 27% illuminated Monday night into Tuesday, per EarthSky, allowing for better visibility.
When is the Draconids meteor shower? How to watch
Best viewing for the Draconids is expected to be the later evening hours of Oct. 7 and into the early morning of Oct. 8.
Compared to something like the Perseid meteor shower, the Draconids are a bit more demure. At most, one might see up to 10 meteors streaking across the night sky per hour. The Draconids are also notable for their relatively slow speed as they enter Earth's atmosphere − around 23 kilometers, or 14 miles, per second − meaning that those meteors that can be seen may appear for a full 1-2 seconds.
The reason for the relative lack of meteor activity with the Draconids lays with Jupiter and its immense gravity. As the comet 21p/Giacobini-Zinner − the source of the Draconids − makes its more than six year orbit around the sun, its long tail of ice bits and rock are often drawn closer to the gas giant. Occasionally, though, the Draconids can approach closer to Earth and put on a show. In 1933 and 1946, thousands of meteors were sighted per hour, and in 1985, 1998 and 2018 there were also increased meteor counts. In 2011, European observers were able to see more than 600 meteors in one hour, according to EarthSky.
Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com
veryGood! (99176)
Related
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Jill Biden says White House decor designed for visitors to see the holidays through a child’s eyes
- Jill Biden unveils White House holiday decor for 2023. See photos of the Christmas trees, ornaments and more.
- Foul play not suspected after body found in vent at college arts center in Michigan
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Blackhawks forward Corey Perry remains away from team 'for foreseeable future'
- U.S. airlines lose 2 million suitcases a year. Where do they end up?
- Blackhawks forward Corey Perry remains away from team 'for foreseeable future'
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Millions of U.S. apples were almost left to rot. Now, they'll go to hungry families
Ranking
- Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
- Full transcript of Face the Nation, Nov. 26, 2023
- As Trump’s fraud trial eyes his sweeping financial reports, executive says they’re not done anymore
- Before dying, she made a fund to cancel others' medical debt — nearly $70m worth
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- The Falcons are the NFL's iffiest division leader. They have nothing to apologize for.
- The Falcons are the NFL's iffiest division leader. They have nothing to apologize for.
- Man fatally shot in the parking lot of a Target store in the Bronx, police say
Recommendation
NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
Vanderpump Rules Alum Kristen Doute Shares She Had a Miscarriage
Spain announces a 1.4 billion-euro deal to help protect the prized Doñana wetland from drying up
Putin signs Russia’s largest national budget, bolstering military spending
Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
Hiam Abbass’ Palestinian family documentary ‘Bye Bye Tiberias’ applauded at Marrakech Film Festival
Sister Wives' Janelle and Christine Brown Respond to Kody’s Claim They're Trash Talking Him
Paris Hilton Details “Beautiful” New Chapter After Welcoming Baby No. 2 With Carter Reum