When is the next meteor shower in the UK? Your celestial schedule for 2019
ARE there stars in your eyes or did this year just get off to a pretty stellar start?
Here's our guide for you to navigate the skies for 2019.
When are the next meteor showers coming to the UK?
2019
UK stargazers have already been treated to the Quadrantids meteor shower which saw 50 to 100 visible meteors each hour at its height, and there's more to come.
- Lyrids Meteor Shower - April 22-23, an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak
- Eta Aqarids - May 6-7, A little more impressive, with 60 meteors per hour at its peak
- Delta Aquarids - July 28-29, produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht, this shower will produce around 20 meteors an hour
- Perseids - August 12-13, produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, this impressive shower will generate 60 marvels an hour
- Draconids - October 8, producing a minor meteor shower
- Orionids - October 21 - 22, produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley
- Leonids - November 17-18, 15 meteors at its peak
- Geminids, December 13-14, called the king of meteor showers, this show will unleash up to 120 multicoloured meteors per hour
- Ursids, December 21-22
more space and astronomy
What is a meteor shower?
Meteor showers take place when space rocks, also known as meteoroids, enter the earth’s atmosphere.
As it falls towards earth, the resistance of the air on the rock makes it hot and air around it glows – which has led to them being known as shooting stars.
When there are numerous rocks at the same time, this is known as a meteor shower.
Meteoroids are often so small they burn up in the earth’s atmosphere, so there is little chance of a collision.
Meteor showers are named after the constellation where the rocks appear to be coming from.