[ad_1]
Lockdown Britain is poised for a sparkling gift like a meteor shower to light up the skies this week.
Direct your gaze to the sky through your windows or take a blanket and place the sun loungers outdoors in your house to enjoy the spectacular light show.
Ten to hundreds of meteorites per hour are forecast to shine in the night skies of the northern hemisphere this week.
The annual meteor shower is expected to peak on Tuesday night and the best observation hours are just before sunrise on Wednesday.
Here are some tips on how to assimilate the dazzling phenomenon safely during the national coronavirus blockade.
What is the Lyrid meteor shower and when can you see it?
The spectacular light rain is already underway, but it will be more visible in the UK and the United States earlier this week.
Experts say the peak viewing time will be Tuesday night and into the early hours of Wednesday, with observations affected by the phases of the moon and local weather conditions.
The Lyrid Meteor Shower takes place every April, giving a spectacular light show for stargazers.
Shooting stars appear as dust from Comet C / 1861 G1 Thatcher and interact with Earth’s atmosphere.
When this dust enters Earth’s atmosphere, it burns, producing a light trail across the sky.
(Image: Anadolu)
(Image: Reuters / CCTV News)
It takes its name from the Lyra constellation, from where meteorites seem to radiate.
While it will start tonight, the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower will be overnight from April 21 to 22, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke told Space.com.
Lyrids will be visible starting at 10:30 p.m., but are best seen in the dark after midnight and when city lights go out when homes go to sleep.
The best time to look is after midnight and before dawn, the expert said.
Check the weather forecast in your area to determine prime time during the night to observe the sky.
The peak visibility of the phenomenon on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning is due to the phase of the moon.
It will be a thin crescent just two days from the new moon at that time, Cooke said, so the moonlight doesn’t drown out the light show.
Visibility will depend on how light and dark the night sky is where you live, Cooke said.
(Image: Anadolu)
The expert said Lyrid’s average rainfall produces 15 to 20 meteors per hour, and this year about 10 an hour is forecast, though hundreds of hours can sometimes be seen tearing through the skies.
Some years, the Lyrid meteor shower can produce up to 100 meteors per hour in what is called a “blast,” but it is difficult to predict, Cooke added.
There is an average of 30 years between outbursts, but the actual number of years between them varies, he said.
Best way to see meteor shower during UK shutdown
The spectacular couldn’t have come at a better time for the UK in closing.
While we stay home to protect the NHS and stop spreading the coronavirus, those of us who are not key shift workers should be in the perfect place to see the light show.
Eager stargazers are typically urged to go to the field with the least light pollution to see the meteorites in all their glory.
However, according to the closing rules, you must not travel to the field.
If the weather and light levels allow it, you should be able to watch the meteor shower from your own home without breaking the rules of social distancing.
So, look out the window or set up chairs in a safe place outdoors in your home and turn your gaze to the stars.
If you can safely go home, experts say you should get out as soon as possible so that your eyes adjust to the dark.
This will ensure that any meteorite is visible to the naked eye.
And according to the Meteorological Office outlook Tuesday through Thursday, star enthusiasts may be lucky.
The UK forecast is for mostly good conditions at all times, with plenty of warm sun during the days.
[ad_2]
