Shooting stars, it remains a fascinating phenomenon. Over the next few nights, you’ll have a greater chance of seeing them, as the Lyrid meteor shower is passing Earth. But how do you see them best now? We give you five tips so that you can successfully spot shooting stars.
In the night from Friday to Saturday you have the best chance of seeing them, but also the night before and after there are more shooting stars than usual. One condition is that the weather is clear.
They don’t fall from the sky in droves, says Urian Poerink of Halley Observatory in Vinkel. “You can see very nice specimens, at the peak there are about twenty per hour. That’s not very massive. So it is best to view them from your own garden, because you have to have some patience.”
You should also set your alarm, because the peak is in the night from Friday to Saturday between three and four thirty.
Light trail leads to ‘shooting star’
But how does such a meteor shower lead to shooting stars? This swarm, called Lyrids, passes through Earth and consists of pieces of space rock.
As soon as such a stone enters our atmosphere, friction with the air is created. Due to this friction and the high temperature that is released, you get a light trail, which we see on Earth as a shooting star (also called a meteoroid).
Bigger fireballs
It will therefore not be a swarm with a large number of shooting stars in the coming days, but according to Wilfred Janssen of Weerplaza, each swarm has its own characteristics.
This swarm of Lyrids may contain larger pieces of debris that can show quite bright light. “If it’s larger pieces of rubble, there’s a chance it’s spectacular. Because then bigger fireballs are created.”
Five tips to successfully spot shooting stars
- Find a dark place, with no lampposts or other artificial light nearby. So outside the city and outside built-up areas.
- Choose a clearing, such as a vast meadow. So that trees or buildings do not obstruct your view. You have to be able to see far.
- Go outside on time and make sure your eyes get used to the dark. Because that way you can see the shooting stars better. Leave your mobile phone at home, because with that light your eyes never get used to the dark (and taking pictures with your phone is not very successful with shooting stars).
- Make sure you have a good chair in which you can lean back, or put your stretcher in the garden. Then you won’t get a stiff neck while searching for shooting stars. Something nice and warm to drink with it, makes the adventure even more enjoyable.
- Put on something warm. Because even if it doesn’t seem cold, if you stare for a while, that changes quickly.
Can you capture a beautiful shooting star with your photo camera in the coming days? We would love to see your photos! Mail them to Omroep Brabant.