Space Weather News for April 20, 2006
http://spaceweather.comEarth is about to pass through the dusty tail of Comet Thatcher, and
this will cause the annual Lyrid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the
shower to peak on April 22nd, producing about 10 meteors per
hour--modest, but pretty. The best time to look is during the hours before sunrise
on Saturday morning. Go to a dark site away from city lights, if
possible.
The Moon will also encounter the comet's tail on April 22nd, which
raises an interesting possibility: Amateur astronomers may be able to spot
flashes of light on the Moon when comet debris hits the lunar surface
and explodes. All that's required is a backyard telescope and lots of
patience.
Visit Spaceweather.com for details, sky maps and observing tips.
Note: This is a Northern Hemisphere shower. South of the equator,
observers will see very few Lyrids. Southerners are, however, in an
excellent position to observe Lyrid impacts on the Moon. The Moon rises high
in southern skies on April 22nd, in plain view of backyard telescopes.