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Skies to offer meteor spectacle tomorrow
STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
Sunday, Apr 22, 2007, Page 4
The best time to enjoy this year's Lyrid meteor shower in Taiwan will be between 4:30am and 6:30am tomorrow, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said.
Astronomers at the museum said that during this year's shower, there will be, on average, about 18 meteors per hour.
Most years during this month, there are no more than five to 20 meteors during the peak of the shower. The documented peak for the Lyrids meteor shower -- which usually lasts from April 16 to April 25 each year -- is 90 meteors per hour, the astronomers said.
Wikipedia says that the radiant of the Lyrids -- the point in the sky that meteors appear to come from -- is located in the constellation Lyra.
The meteor shower, which peaks today, has been observed for the past 2,600 years.
The source of the Lyrids is the periodic Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.
The Taipei Astronomical Museum said the upcoming meteor shower will be bright enough for stargazers to enjoy with the naked eye.
It also suggested that people wanting to enjoy the meteor shower in all its glory should find a spacious spot with minimal light pollution.
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