According to scientists, the Lyrid meteor shower will peak at the weekend. Its most intense form will be visible in the sky on the night from Saturday to Sunday. However, Czechs who want to watch it in its full beauty must travel far from the big cities so that their spectacle is not spoiled by light pollution.
The Czechs have a lot to look forward to this weekend. In addition to the promised high temperatures, a wonderful spectacle awaits them in the form of the Lyrid meteor shower. According to scientists, it should reach its maximum during the night from Saturday to Sunday. If people want to see as many shooting stars as possible, it pays to stand up.
“From the early morning of Saturday, April 22 to Sunday, April 23, it will be possible to view the most meteors from the annual Lyrid meteor shower. These popularly called shooting stars are in the Earth’s atmosphere caused by the destruction of ice-dust particles released from the nucleus of Comet Thatcher,” scientists from Institute of Physics in Opava.
“At peak, 10 to 15 meteors can be seen in a dark sky away from big cities and harmful light pollution. The shower is worth watching this year from 2am until dawn,” experts reported that the meteor shower will peak around three in the morning.
“It is practically useless to watch the swarm from the cities. The glow of the light smog will outshine most meteors, and you will only see one or two meteors during the whole night.” Petr Horálek explained to the editors of TN.cz for the Physics Institute in Opava. According to him, it is ideal to go, for example, to the mountains or to any elevated area.
When people observe the sky, they get the impression that stars are falling from the sky. During a meteor shower, particles of interplanetary dust enter the Earth’s atmosphere and during their flight they rub against air molecules and gradually evaporate, leaving behind them a glowing trail that reminds people of stars. According to experts, the conditions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are ideal for people to see even 15 such meteors per hour during the peak.
The Geminids meteor shower peaked in the sky. Watch the video (12/2022):
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