May 30-31, 2022: A fragmented comet may put on a display in the southwestern sky around midnight on this evening. Earth may encounter debris from a comet informally known as SW3.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Special Sky Watcher’s Alert! Unlike the predictability or the planet’s motions through the constellations along the ecliptic, some astronomy events are unpredictable.
During the night of May 30-31 around midnight in the Central Time Zone, the fragments of Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (SW3) may put on a dramatic display of a meteor storm or be a dud. This is an unpredictable event. The event is expected to occur during a few hours around the peak time.
In the fall of 1995, the comet fragmented into larger pieces and a trail of debris. The remnants continue to revolve around the sun and this year the earth interacts with the stream of debris.
Meteors occur when dust particles and larger gravels hit the atmosphere and vaporize. Friction vaporizes the falling debris and we see a “shooting star,” a meteor. Some of the fragments are larger and are very bright when they vaporize, bright enough to temporarily illuminate the ground.
The Perseid meteor shower is an annual event from cometary debris.
This weekend’s event is impossible to predict accurately, from a major meteor shower to a complete non-event. The rate could be a few dozen to thousands each hour.
The meteors are visible anywhere in the sky. They seem to emerge from a region of space near the bright star Arcturus and its constellation Boötes, known as the radiant.
At the peak hour, the topaz star is over two-thirds of the way up in the southwestern sky. It is the brightest star in the sky at this hour. The kite-shape constellation is above Arcturus.
Take a look at what you see and put your notes in the comment section.
RECENT PODCASTS
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2023, October 18: Moon-Antares Conjunction, Bright Planets
October 18, 2023: The moon is near Antares after sunset. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are in the sky during the nighttime hours. - 2023, October 17: Scorpion Moon
October 17, 2023: The crescent moon is with Scorpius during evening twilight. Venus and Jupiter gleam from the predawn sky. - 2023, October 16: Venus in Starry Conjunction
October 16, 2023: Venus passes a star in Leo before sunrise. A crescent moon is low in the western sky during evening twilight. - 2023, October 16-22: Celestial Events for the Week
October 16-22, 2023: The moon returns to the evening sky. Venus steps eastward in front of Leo, and a meteor shower is visible. - 2023, October 15: Three Bright Planets
October 15, 2023: Brilliant Venus and Jupiter are visible before sunrise. Saturn is above the southeast horizon after sundown.
