Once-in-a-Lifetime Meteor Show on the Way
Stargazers in Europe, Britain and North America are in for a treat next week and have prime viewing positions for what could be the biggest natural fireworks display of the 21st century.
During Tuesday’s early hours, thousands of meteors, or shooting stars, will light up the night sky as they enter the atmosphere at speeds of about 160,000 mph.
“It is a natural fireworks display, a celestial spectacle,” said professor Mark Bailey of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland.
Known as Leonids because they originate in the constellation Leo, the meteor storm will be in two bursts Monday night and early Tuesday.
Britain and Europe will have the best views for the first burst. People in North America are best placed to see the second barrage Tuesday about 2:30 a.m. PST.
Although a full moon might dull the spectacle a bit, this year’s storm could be the biggest for the next 100 years, with 1,000 meteors per hour trailing across the sky in the first burst and as many as 6,000 per hour during the second.
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