SPECTACULAR SHOW
Obscure comet to light up our skies
WHAT IS A METEOR?
A meteor is a particle usually no larger than a grain of rice that has broken away from an asteroid or comet that orbits the sun and then burns up as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere, creating what we commonly call a “shooting star.” Meteors are the result of air particles heating up the debris through friction until they glow and disintegrate between 50 kilometres and 95 kilometres above the Earth. Most glow for about a second, but others leave a trail that can last for several minutes.
WHEN CAN I WATCH IT?
Scientists believe the shower this weekend could produce as many as 200 meteors per hour, or more. It’s expected to peak Saturday between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. ET in Ontario, and between 11 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday on the West Coast. People in southern Canada and the continental U.S. are best positioned to observe the show.
HOW TO SEE THE SHOWER
There’s always a chance the shower could go bust, but experts believe it’s worth a try to take in what could be a stunning astronomical event. It may even eclipse the August meteor showers known as the Perseids. Look for a viewpoint where you can see the entire sky, away from bright lights. Angle your sightline toward the Little Dipper. It’s best to leave the lights of the city behind and find a darker location.
WHY IS THIS SHOWER UNUSUAL?
This particular shower is new to scientists and is the result of a recently discovered comet (209P/LINEAR), whose orbit was altered in 2012 when it was hit with a gravitational yank from Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet. The comet won’t come anywhere near Earth (you can’t see it with the naked eye), but the trail of ice and dust it released in the 1800s and early 1900s during its orbit around the sun is now on a collision course with our atmosphere, scientists say. The comet was discovered in 2004 and its orbit comes near the sun every five years.
WILL I SEE IT AGAIN?
Scientists say the May Camelopardalids aren’t expected to become an annual event, but the debris trail could show up again several times during the next decade. It’s also unlikely any of the particles will actually strike the Earth, becoming meteorites. Researchers hope the shower, if it does put on a show for earthlings, will allow them to learn more about how comets work.