Topical Science
April 2018
Topical Science April 2018 : The Lyrid Meteor Shower
What causes meteor showers? In April each year, amateur astronomers watch out for the Lyrid meteor shower, which occurs at the end of the month. Meteors are sometimes referred to as ‘falling stars’, or ‘shooting stars’ because they look like stars shooting across the night sky, but they are not stars at all. In fact, they are tiny particles of dirt and debris passing through the earth’s atmosphere at great speed. Because of their speed, they become very hot and glow brightly for a short period, before burning up completely. The meteor ionises molecules in the air as it goes, causing a bright streak of light for a few seconds. The brightest meteors can be seen with the naked eye and a large meteor shower can be a spectacular sight. Meteor showers occur when the earth, travelling in its orbit around the sun, encounters a trail of debris left behind by a comet that has long since left the vicinity of our earth. The showers are named after the star constellation from which they appear to originate, although in fact they have no connection with the particular constellation at all.
Contents Page 1
Meteor Showers
Page 2
The Lyrid Meteor Shower
Page 3
How to observe the Lyrid Meteor shower
Page 4
Comets: Unusual members of the Solar System.