the first shooting stars of the year light up the Vietnamese sky

Local astronomy enthusiasts will have the chance to enjoy the spectacle of the Quadrantids, the first major meteor shower of the year, which peaks on the night of January 3-4.

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According to details given by NASA’s William Cooke, most meteor showers are named after the constellations they appear to come from in the night sky.

“More the Quadrantids take their name from a constellation that no longer exists“, he noted. Astronomers have predicted that the Quadrantids can dazzle observers with up to 80 meteors per hour.

The Quadrantids occur as Earth moves through debris left by the passage of asteroid 2003 EH. This year, this shower of shooting stars takes place until January 16. It produces an average of 120 meteors per hour, but this number can go up to 200.

“The meteor shower’s reputation for producing spectacular fireballs provides additional motivation to get out and observe the Quadrantids”she said.

In order to locate rain when it appears in the sky, observers are advised to find a secluded spot to observe it, away from the bright city lights. Once at their destination, each observer’s eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Meteor showers will not affect people’s eyes or health.

The next meteor shower, called Lyrids, will reach its peak in mid-April.

VNA/CVN