Since mid-April, shooting star hunters have once again had the chance to see burn-up comet debris in the night sky. The Lyrid meteorite swarm will continue to appear until the end of the month. The climax is expected on the morning of April 22nd, according to the chairman of the Star Friends Association based in Bensheim in southern Hesse, Uwe Pilz: “Unfortunately, the almost full moon is a hindrance this year.” However, according to the Star Friends, there is still a chance of shooting stars . In the morning between 3 and 4 a.m. the sun is still well below the horizon and the moon is so low that the light is less disturbing. If you want to see the celestial bodies burning up, you have to look high into the southern sky.
The Lyrids were named after the constellation of the Lyra (Latin Lyra). These were first discovered in the 7th century BC. by a Chinese observer who believed that the stars were falling from the sky. They are fast objects with speeds of around 50 kilometers per second. Up to twenty shooting stars, including bright ones, light up every hour. The Lyrids are splintered fragments of Comet Thatcher (C/1861G), through which Earth passes in its orbit in April.
Clear nights?
Do you have a clear view of the celestial spectacle from Carinthia and East Tyrol this weekend? Absolutely, says Ubimet meteorologist Michele Salmi: “The best conditions are in the night from Saturday to Sunday.” It remains widely clear. The chances are not bad from Sunday to Monday either. Especially in Lower Carinthia, the night is likely to be cloud-free. However, it is cloudier in the direction of Upper Carinthia and East Tyrol.
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