Hello Stargazers,
The #Lyrids meteor shower is due to peak this night (21-22 April 2020) so it’s well worth staying up and looking up. Conditions are ideal as the moon is new – we just have to hope the few clouds in the sky keep moving over the island and out to sea.
The radiant will rise due North East and the best time to watch is after midnight when the Lyrids Peak with a frequency of around 10-15 per hour. If that’s too late for the kids to be up (or be woken) you can meteor watch earlier when the radiant will be still be low over the horizon.
The Lyrids Meteor Shower is caused by the debris trail of the Comet #Thatcher (not the Margaret one). The radiant, or the point where the majority of the meteors appear to be originating from, falls close to the constellation Lyra, hence the name, Lyrids.
Meteor showers are observed with the naked eye. No telescope or binoculars. Lie on your back and look up at the night sky to the right of the bright star Vega (but not only). Remember meteors are transient natural phenomena so just chill and be happy when you catch one shooting across the dark sky. Read more about how to meteor watch at http://www.gozospacelab.com/perseid-meteor-shower/
If you’re so inclined tally up the number of meteors you observe, the length of time you were watching the skies and your location. Email us at hello@gozospacelab.com or on messenger at Spacelab 🚀
#astronomy #stargazing #kids #meteors #space #exploration #comets #gozo #gooutside #thinkbeyond
