Meteors from the constellation Draco are expected to light up the night sky tonight as meteor shower season kicks into gear.
The Draconids are typically a quiet celestial event, according to the International Meteor Organization. But they have been known to produce 鈥溾�� in the past. This year was initially forecast to be unexceptional, but recent models suggest a 鈥渟mall outburst鈥� or 鈥渆nhancement鈥� of the event could occur Tuesday.
鈥淲hatever happens, it will be of high interest to have a close monitoring of Draconid meteor shower,鈥� wrote IMO meteor observer Karl Antier earlier this month.
In and , the Draconid meteor showers had some of the most impressive 鈥渮enithal hourly rates鈥� of the 20th century with thousands visible every hour. Increased activity has occurred on several other occasions, including as recently as 2011 and 2012, but the moon has often interfered with visibility. Last year, observers in Europe reported seeing , according to the IMO.
Perhaps the greatest opportunity to spot a meteor shower will come later this month with the Orionids, which are well-known for their association with Halley鈥檚 Comet. Acccuweather forecaster and journalist Brian Lada said to break out the lounge chairs and stargaze the night of Oct. 21.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something to behold,鈥� he said on the AccuWeather podcast . While the Orionids are expected to produce around 20 meteors per hour, there are still strategies for optimizing the viewing experience.
Lay down on the ground or in a recliner to get as much of the sky as possible in your view, said Lada. Don鈥檛 look at any other light sources for at least 30 minutes beforehand, to help your eyes adjust -- it could take about 15 to 20 minutes for that to happen. Get out of the city, since the more light pollution the more obstructed the view. Enjoy the Orionids earlier in the evening, he added, since the moon rising at midnight will interfere with visibility too.
Otherwise, meteor shower watching is simple: just look up.
鈥淣o matter what meteor shower it is, they鈥檙e always visible anywhere in the night sky,鈥� he said.
