'Draconid' Meteor Shower: Hundreds of Shooting Stars Tomorrow Afternoon
This Saturday, the "Draconid" meteor shower that will be emitted through the 'Draco' constellation is set to finally occur.
At the peak of this meteor shower, several hundred shooting stars will shine bright in the sky as they make their fall.
Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office detailed the large amount meteor showers set to occur tomorrow: "We're predicting as many as 750 meteors per hour."
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NASA scientists have stated that shower is expected to begin on Saturday at noon Eastern and have its strongest activity between 3 p.m. EST and 5 p.m. EST.
The shower's meteors are usually faint and slow-moving in its descent across the sky.
U.S. sky-watchers may have problems viewing the event as it occurs, since the meteor shower will happen during the daylight hours for observers in North America. Observers in Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe will have an advantage over U.S., but not by much.
The news of an 85 percent full moon taking place this Tuesday evening means viewers will have an even harder time watching the peak of the meteor shower.
The 'Draconid' meteor shower takes place in our solar system every October as the Earth passes through a trail of dust left by the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
The comet circles the sun every 6.6 years, and each time it circles, it leaves a filament of space dust in its trail. When viewed from Earth, streaks of light can be seen whenever a piece of that dust encounters Earth's atmosphere.
The 'Draconid' shower produced two phenomenal meteor showers in 1933 and 1946. Less notable "Draconid" meteor showers occurred in 1926, 1952, 1985, 1998 and 2005.
Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office detailed the large amount meteor showers set to occur tomorrow: "We're predicting as many as 750 meteors per hour."
He also went on to explain how the meteor shower usually goes down: "Most years we just pass through gaps between filaments, maybe just grazing one or two as we go by. Occasionally, though, we hit one nearly head on - and the fireworks begin."
