Meteor shower set to light up sky on Orthodox Easter
On Easter, a powerful meteor shower will pass over the Earth (photo: Getty Images)
On Sunday, May 5, when Ukraine celebrates Easter, a peak meteor shower will occur over the Earth. The intensity and richness of this meteor shower will be observed until May 10. Researchers suggest that this shower will be the strongest since the beginning of the 21st century.
What is known about this meteor shower reports Science Alert.
The Earth orbits the Sun and encounters streams of dust and debris from comets and asteroids. This results in meteor showers, where comet fragments fall to Earth, typically burning up in the atmosphere.
Comet Halley (officially designated as 1P/Halley) orbits the Sun approximately every 76 years and has spent thousands of years on its current path.
Each time the comet passes through the inner part of the Solar System, it releases dust and gas. This dust gradually spreads through space, enveloping the comet's orbit in a broad band of debris.
Earth passes through this debris twice a year, generating two famous meteor showers. In October, we experience the Orionids meteor stream, visible from both hemispheres and relatively well-known.
However, the best of the two Halley debris streams peaks in early May – the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. Earth begins encountering these fragments in mid-April and then spends about six weeks crossing the wide stream of debris left by the mighty comet.
The Eta Aquarids meteor stream is the debris left by Comet Halley. It will be best seen in the southern hemisphere. This year, the stream promises to be special because it coincides with the New Moon. A few hours before dawn, the sky will be very dark - creating ideal conditions for observing the shower of fragments from the famous comet.
Moreover, according to scientists, this stream may be significantly more active than usual and become the most powerful meteor shower of the 21st century.
Earlier, we reported that a falling meteor was seen over Ukraine on May 1.
And we also reported that NASA detected a city-killer asteroid approaching Earth.
