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Meteorites are not uncommon: there are space particles constantly falling to Earth, and if you look closely for one evening, you are likely to see one or more of them spreading in the dark. However, meteor showers that illuminate the night sky for minutes or hours at a time are much less frequent, and this month there is a spectacular one. May be.
If all the stars line up (ahem), the Tau Herculid rain will appear over the contiguous United States on the night of May 30 and the morning of May 31. That’s what Bill Cooke of NASA’s Bureau of Meteroid Environment has called an “all-or-nothing event.” ”So expect the best and prepare for the worst.
Here’s what you need to know.
When you see the meteor shower tau Hercules
If so, the Tau Herculid show is expected to peak around 1 am ET on Tuesday, May 31 (22:00 PT on May 30).
The meteors themselves are likely to travel more slowly and appear weaker than those of the Eta Aquarid rain earlier this month. However, the moon is new that night, so the sky will be dark for maximum visibility. Due to the timing and position of the Earth, viewers in the United States will get the best show, from about half the sky to above.
You always want to find the darkest place possible to watch meteor showers, but it can be especially important for tau Hercules given the slow speed expected for individual particles.
Tau Herculids: New in the meteor shower scene
The Herculean rain tau comes from a comet known as SW 3, which was first discovered in 1930 and is thought to have begun to fragment in 1995. At every step since then, SW 3 has continued to break into pieces, and experts believe that the position of the debris relative to the comet, the position of the Earth and the speed can create an impressive visual experience.
However, it is a conjecture rather than a guarantee.