New Meteor Shower May Offer Skygazers a Treat…Or Not
6:01 minutes
Late Friday night, Earth will sail through debris left by the comet 209P/LINEAR—and it might be a spectacular show. Or it might not be. Dean Regas, outreach astronomer at the Cincinnati Observatory, says the awesomeness of meteor showers is usually inversely proportional to their hype, and since this is the Earth’s first encounter with the Camelopardalids—as this shower is called—no one can predict the display.
But there’s only one way to find out. Find a dark place on Friday night and gaze skyward. The shower peaks between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. EDT.
Segment Guests
Dean Regas
Dean Regas is outreach astronomer at the Cincinnati Observatory and co-host of the PBS program Star Gazers in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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@cintagliataChristopher Intagliata was Science Friday’s senior producer. He once served as a prop in an optical illusion and speaks passable Ira Flatowese.