Twin events happen when two meteors appear within seconds of each other. Although they are rare, twin meteor showers can be extremely exciting as they offer a wonderful opportunity to spot some very bright shooting stars. Most of the time, only one meteor appears per shower; however, there are times when two or even three meteors streak across the sky at once. Twin meteor showers occur when two different streams of meteors enter the atmosphere at nearly the same time. Because the two streams orbit on different paths and intersect only once every few years, it is not common for twin showers to take place simultaneously. These showers are not just an interesting event for night-sky watchers but also have fascinating cosmological implications. Let’s explore some interesting facts about twin meteor showers: Read on…
●The full moon obscures all but the brightest meteors. Rare in the average person’s lifetime, the finest meteor shower displays can be seen only a handful of times.
●Constantly throughout the day, meteors strike the Earth, but we have no way of seeing them. There is a much higher chance that a meteorite will fall into the water than it will hit a person.
●In the Northern Hemisphere, the ideal viewing conditions exist for those interested in watching meteor showers. There are a few options for catching a meteor shower, but first thing in the morning is usually best.
●Meteor showers are typically caused by pieces of debris from comets. When Earth moves through comet fragmentation zones, we see more comets than usual.
●In the past, meteors were either seen as God’s wrathful gifts from the heavens or as signs of God’s heavenly benevolence. Because of this misconception, they were called “thunderstones” up through the 17th century.
●The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most widely viewed pairs of meteor showers in August, is watched by professional and amateur astronomers alike because it generates more than 60 meteors every minute.
●As the Earth orbits outside the path of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon in December, we experience the annual Geminid meteor shower. The meteors seem to be coming from the direction of the constellation Gemini, and they are moving more slowly than most meteors. At their peak, the Geminids can generate as many as 40 meteors each hour.
●Each year around the middle of November, there is a spectacular meteor shower known as the Leonids. Asteroids are whizzing toward Earth at high speeds. In 1833, the public saw an estimated 500,000 meteors annually. Every year, the Leonid meteor shower can spread 12–14 tonnes of particles throughout the globe.
NASA’s Viewing Tips:
NASA offers the following suggestions for catching a glimpse of the upcoming twin meteor showers with your naked eyes:
●Light pollution should be avoided under all circumstances. Try to pick a location far from any city lights if at all possible.
●Just bring something comfortable to sit on or lay in as you take in the stars.
●Don’t look through any sort of magnifying glass. As an alternative, try closing your eyes and letting them wander about the room. Don’t look directly at your phone or any other source of light. Both situations result in impaired night vision.
