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London (UPI) Apr 22, 2011 Skywatchers hoping for an impressive astronomical display say the Lyrid meteor shower should reach its peak over the next two days, experts in Britain said. Astronomers said the Lyrid shower can be fickle but under ideal conditions 10 to 20 meteors an hour may be visible to watchers, the BBC reported Friday. Light from the moon, which is in a so-called gibbous phase around the full-moon period, could hamper observations this year but experts say stargazers should watch in the hours before dawn to get their best views of the meteors. The source of the shower, known as the radiant, is located near the bright star Vega. The Lyrid shower occurs when Earth passes through a trail of debris left by the comet Thatcher, astronomers say.
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Dark Skies For Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower In Early MayWashington DC (SPX) Apr 13, 2011 Would you like to see a piece of Halley's comet? Now's your chance! Each spring as Earth passes through the debris trail from Halley's Comet (1P/Halley), the cosmic bits burn up in our atmosphere and result in the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower. In 2011 the peak will occur on the night of May 5 and into the morning of May 6. A dark new moon on May 3 will help darken the night skies ... read more |
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