The Draconid meteor shower, debris from the dusty tail of Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, is likely to peak this October 7-8.
There will be a full Moon this evening, so that will interfere with seeing many of the famously slow-moving Draconid meteors. However, on the morning of October 8th there will be a full lunar eclipse! You may be lucky enough to see a blood red Moon combined with some striking meteors!
The Draconids seem to originate, or radiate, from the head of the constellation Draconis, the Dragon. In the USA, this radiant point will be high overhead in the early evening, making this a meteor shower best observed in the evening instead of the early morning. As with observing any meteor shower, get to a dark spot, get comfortable, bring blankets to stay warm, and let your eyes adjust to the dark sky. A cozy lounge chair makes for a great seat, as does simply lying on your back on a blanket, eyes scanning the whole sky.
There will be a full Moon this evening, so that will interfere with seeing many of the famously slow-moving Draconid meteors. However, on the morning of October 8th there will be a full lunar eclipse! You may be lucky enough to see a blood red Moon combined with some striking meteors!
The Draconids seem to originate, or radiate, from the head of the constellation Draconis, the Dragon. In the USA, this radiant point will be high overhead in the early evening, making this a meteor shower best observed in the evening instead of the early morning. As with observing any meteor shower, get to a dark spot, get comfortable, bring blankets to stay warm, and let your eyes adjust to the dark sky. A cozy lounge chair makes for a great seat, as does simply lying on your back on a blanket, eyes scanning the whole sky.
You can use the free Meteor Counter app to record your meteor count and participate in NASA's LADEE mission! Available for iOS devices at http://meteorcounter.com/
Image of the radiant of the Draconid meteor shower, courtesy EarthSky
Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2014