Halley’s Comet meteorites hit Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 148,000 mph, (238,000kph) burning in flashes of light that can be seen with the naked eye.
Orionid meteorites are known for their speed and brightness, so if you persevere, there is a good chance that you will see several bright ‘shooting stars’ that cross the sky.
Why is it called Orionid?
It is called Orionid because it appears to radiate from the Orion constellation. Orion is one of the brightest and best known constellations and contains two of the 10 brightest stars in the sky, Rigel and Betelgeuse, as well as the famous Orion Belt.
The Orion Belt is made up of three bright stars close together, almost in a straight line, and is about 1,500 light years from us on Earth.
Orion has been known since ancient times and is also known as Hunter thanks to Greek mythology. He is often seen on star maps in front of Taurus, the bull.
Geminid meteor shower
The Geminid meteor shower can be seen from December 7 to 16, 2020, and the maximum activity will take place on December 13 and 14.
Caused by asteroid 3200 Phaethon, the Geminids’ orbit brings it very close to the Sun, causing its surface material to crumble and rupture. Earth passes through these space debris each December, which burns when it hits our atmosphere. These are the meteors visible in our sky.
Geminids were first observed relatively recently, in 1862, compared to Perseids (36AD) and Leonids (902AD).
The meteor shower appears to come from a point in the Gemini constellation, hence its name.
How to spot Geminids in 2020
Sightings are possible worldwide, but there is good news for the British: the rain favors observers from the northern hemisphere over those from the south.
You can detect meteorites anywhere, but they will appear to come from the Gemini constellation.
During December, it begins in the afternoon in the east and moves across the sky westward at night. Find the Orion Belt, three bright stars arranged in a row, and then look over and a little to the left.
They will appear as rays of light, and sometimes they will come in bursts of two or three. They vary in color, depending on their composition.
Up to 120 meteors per hour, or two per minute, or more can be expected during the peak.
Quadrant meteor shower
The Quadrantid meteor shower was the first major meteor shower of 2020. It took place from December 28 to January 12, and peaked on the night of January 3 and the early hours of January 4.
Unlike other meteor showers, which tend to peak for about two days, the Quadrantid meteor shower typically peaks for a few hours.
First discovered in 1825 by Italian astronomer Antonio Brucalassi, astronomers suspect that the rain originates from Comet C / 1490 Y1, which was first observed 500 years ago by Japanese, Chinese, and Korean astronomers.
Why is it called Quadrant?
The Quadrantides appear to radiate from the extinct constellation Quadrans Muralis, which is now part of the Boötes constellation and not far from the Big Dipper.
Due to the constellation’s position in the sky, rain is often impossible to see in the southern hemisphere; however, there is the possibility of seeing it up to 51 degrees south latitude.
The best places to see the exhibition are in countries with high northern latitudes, such as Norway, Sweden, Canada, and Finland.
Lyrid Meteor Shower
The Lyrid Meteor Shower takes place annually between April 16-25, and in 2020 peaked on the 21st and early hours of the 22nd.
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