What is Lyrid Meteor Shower?
The Lyrid Meteor shower is active each year in the month of April. In 2021, they are expected to begin on April 19, 2021. They are generally referred to as April Lyrids.
About Lyrid Meteor Shower
- The radiant of the meteor shower is located in constellation Lyra. Radiant of a meteor shower is the point from which the paths of the meteors originate.
- The count of Lyrid Meteor Showers range between five to twenty per hour.
- It has been classified as the medium strength meteor shower.
- They are caused due to a cloud of dust or debris left behind by the Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.
- They are best viewed in northern hemisphere.
Meteor Showers
A meteor shower occurs when the earth passes through the path of a comet. As the earth moves nearby, the bits of comet debris comes under the influence of the earth’s gravity. As they are pulled by the gravitational force of the earth, they begin to move towards the earth. When this happens, they burn up due to the friction created by the Earth’s atmosphere. The burning up of these debris is seen as streaks of light in the night sky and are called meteor showers.
Famous Meteor Showers
The International Astronomical Union has listed the famous meteor showers. The following are the popular and well-established meteor showers in the world:
- Quadrantids – Early January
- Lyrids – Late April
- Pi Puppids – Late April
- Eta Aquariids – Early May
- Arietids – Mid June
- Beta Taurids – Late June
- June Bootids – Late June
- Southern Delta Aquariids – Latte July
- Alpha Capricornids – Late July
- Perseids – mid-August
- Kappa Cygnids – mid August
- Aurigids – Early September
- Draconids – Early October
- Orionids – Late October
- Southern Taurids – Early November
- Northern Taurids – mid November
- Andromedids – mid November
- Alpha Monocerotids – mid November
- Leonids – mid-Novmeber
- Phoenicids – early December
- Geminids – mid December
- Ursids – Late December
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Month: Current Affairs - April, 2021