Rarest Meteor Shower April 22, 2013... Hoax?

Source: www.google.com... &ei=Y1N0UavdFImg9QSD6oC4AQ&usg=AFQjCNEaFaxjp77T9wAJ8ZLVKFbEWqcctg&sig2=Yaua_HqSkrRLNb1NlNt26w

It is true that a meteor shower will be visible around the dates specified in the message. The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak this year during the night of April 22 - 23, 2013, although it will be visible for several days before and after. However, this meteor shower is not particularly rare. In fact, it takes place around the same time each and every year. The message, which circulates in the form of a graphic is an altered variant of a 2012 message that featured another annual meteor shower, Perseid.

The claims in the message are basically true. The Lyrid meteor shower will be visible between April 16 and April 26, 2013 and will reach its peak on the night of April 22 - 23. Between five and twenty meteors per hour will streak across the night sky, with an average of around ten per hour. Uncommonly, the rate can climb as high as 100 meteors per hour. A report on wunderground.com about the 2013 Lyrids notes: Set to make their annual spring return on the night of April 22-23 – though it begins as early as April 16 and can last through April 26 – the Lyrids are named for the constellation Lyra, where they originate near the star called Alpha Lyrae, or Vega. They've been observed in the night sky for some 2,600 years – the Lyrids' first sighting was recorded in China in 687 BCE – and come from dust particles in the tail generated by the Comet Thatcher.

Well, even if it does happen every year, it will be a spectacular event to watch.
I just wanted to remind everyone so you don't miss it.

reply to post by sled735

Not sure why you put "Hoax?" in the title. Was that just to grab attention? (Joking, okay?)

The Lyrid meteor shower is well-known and commonly reported on astronomy sites. For example, at Earthsky.org. They are often pretty good showers because the meteors can be pretty bright. Best time is just before dawn.

I'm hoping the skies will be clear. I'd love to catch it this year. Missed it the past two go-arounds but saw some of it three years ago. Yes, they do happen every year.

The Lyrid meteor shower will be visible between April 16 and April 26, 2013 and will reach its peak on the night of April 22 - 23.

I was wondering why i saw two burn up last nite rare when I see them

Originally posted by JustMike
reply to post by sled735

 

Not sure why you put "Hoax?" in the title. Was that just to grab attention?

(Joking, okay?)

I was referring to the comment made by Hoax Slayer in the quoted text. He says the message is a hoax because it is not the rarest meteor shower to occur, but happens every year. He was the one referring to the message being a hoax, not me. LOL

The event is true, however. And, like you, I hope to be able to see it this year. It will be awesome!

Thanks for your response.

Set to make their annual spring return on the night of April 22-23 – though it begins as early as April 16 and can last through April 26 – the Lyrids are named for the constellation

One of the "rarest"? They happen every year. Also, what angle are you taking with the hoax?
Can you point me to where it states anything about "rarest" please.

Originally posted by thesmokingman

Set to make their annual spring return on the night of April 22-23 – though it begins as early as April 16 and can last through April 26 – the Lyrids are named for the constellation

One of the "rarest"? They happen every year. Also, what angle are you taking with the hoax?
Can you point me to where it states anything about "rarest" please.

edit on 21-4-2013 by thesmokingman because: (no reason given)

See my post above yours.

The message circulating in the social media is in the "link to external image". That is what I'm discussing here... the message, not the event.

Does that clear things up?

reply to post by sled735

Yes, I figured it was like that. That's why I put the wink and "joking" just to be surte you knew I wasn't hassling. But it's certainly one of the better showers.

True, we can see a few "shooting stars" pretty well any night, but when you see 20 or more an hour it's really worth being up very early to watch.

Just don't think about movies like Deep Impact or Armageddon.

reply to post by JustMike


I was searching for information for the best viewing locations when I came across that info about the message being a hoax. I didn't finish my search.

Any idea who on Earth will have the best views?

ETA: Never mind... I found it. It says the western half of the U.S. around 4 a.m. will have the best views.

Well, I'm on the East side... and I'll be at work, but I get a break at 4 a.m.

Guess where I'll be?!

reply to post by sled735

As far as I know it's pretty well world-wide. I've checked and found articles from Australia and they'll be watching it as well. (Or to be correct, they already did as it's morning there now!) So, if they saw them in Oz, then the hemisphere doesn't matter, which is great news.

Main thing is to watch the right part of the sky, which is towards the east. The meteors can appear anywhere in the sky but their tails will point back towards the radiant, which in this case is Vega. Not that they come from Vega (as it's 25 light years away), but that's the guide point for their radiant.

EDIT: just to add, it could be that the western half of the US will have better views for a couple of reasons. For one, in much of the West, the light wash from cities is less. (Cepting the huge cities in Cal, of course) On the Eastern side there is so much light for hundreds of miles that it doesn't make for ideal viewing.

But also it could be dependant on the moon as the moonset times can vary a bit. For example, in Ney York (NY) moonset is at 3.30 am, and it's 3 minutes sooner in L.A. (Cal). However up in Seattle WA, it's not until 3.53 am.

So that makes me wonder about what they say. I'd guess light pollution is one of the issues in the east.

You can check your moonrise and moonset times for any major city here.

reply to post by sled735


"...dust particles in the tail generated by the Comet Thatcher"

Anyone else find the timing of Margaret Thatcher's passing and this particular meteor shower a bit strange? Not to suggest a conspiracy by any means, just saying that it's a bit unusual. I didn't know the lady, but apparently there was a lot of resentment towards her, being that requests for the song "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" was brought back to the levels that would get it new airplay in England. Maybe the grand lady is having one last laugh!

Another thing I've been wondering about... along with the meteor shower spread out over so many days, has anybody noticed a more staticky feeling to the air lately, kind of like when a huge storm is brewing, but there's no lightning in the area? Could a prolonged meteor shower increase activity (cause spikes) with the magnetic field around earth?

reply to post by Scribe611

Nothing especially strange about it. The shower generated by comet Thatcher is an annual event that has been recorded since at least 2,500 years ago, though in earlier times people didn't know the shower's source. I don't think we can read much into the shower occurring within a couple of weeks of Baroness Thatcher's death.

It's called Comet Thatcher after A.E. Thatcher, who discovered it the last time it passed close by to us, back in 1861. Its official designation is C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). Thatcher is not an especially rare surname in the UK and I'd doubt the two people are even related. Even if they were it wouldn't mean much.

The comet won't return again until the late 23rd century as it has an orbit of about 415 years.

About your second query, it's an interesting observation. I haven't heard of any connection between meteor showers and "staticky" feelings in the air. I'd hazard a guess that there isn't, simply because the amount of debris from these meteors is incredibly small compared to the total volume and mass of atmosphere around the planet.

Also, we get bombarded by meteors (and meteorites) every day. Most are like the ones in the Lyrid shower. That is, they're very small, like grains of sand. But according to this article at Cornell U, it still adds up to some tens of thousands of tons per year.

The only difference with the showers is that they tend to be more concentrated, but as I said, considering the sheer mass and volume of atmosphere, I doubt they'd have any noticeable effect.

Well, did anyone see anything last night/this morning?

I was outside at 4 a.m., looked for streaks of light passing through the sky for twenty minutes until I had to go back in. I saw nothing... zilch!


Pooh wee!!!!! I was sure I would see at least one, being it was the peak hour! I'm disappointed.
Guess that wish I was going to make won't come true now.

reply to post by sled735
I haven't got to watch a really good meteor shower in several years as Mother Nature seems to conspire against me. Even though clear and beautiful today clouds and rain are due to move in by this evening, thus fouling my view of meteor shower beauty. Shakes fist at Mother Nature....Aaaaarrrrggh!!!!

reply to post by sled735

I saw one definitely and another that was a definite maybe. Bit of a disappointment, but I was watching a bit earlier than optimum time and the moon wasn't fully down.

No hope to see a thing where I am tonight. Heavy overcast, and the moon will be even closer to full tonight anyway.

I read somewhere it was going to be around 6.40am (it is now 4am) here in Melbourne, Australia. But as it will be light by then and we are having our lvely cold cloudy weather that we won't see it.

reply to post by littled16


It started out being cloudy last night as I went into work. I figured the clouds would ruin my views, but the skies were completely clear by the time my breaks started.

Too bad you won't see it... but, like me, you may not have seen anything anyway.

I hope it isn't too cloudy tonight. I don't care if it's rare or not I just want to see it happen.

reply to post by Scribe611


I haven't noticed any static recently.
I usually get shocked by everything metallic I touch, but the last few days have been fine.

reply to post by JustMike


I'm glad you got to see at least one.

Too bad about the overcast skies for people tonight.

It seems that most of these heavenly events have occurred on cloudy nights where I am. Last night was the first chance I've had in awhile to view anything major... and then nothing happened.