A guide to observing the Asda meteor shower, which may be brighter this year

For the inhabitants of the earth, the last week of November 1401 is associated with the peak of the famous "Leonid" meteor shower, which two decades ago brought great expectations and excitement to It brought night sky watchers.

This year will not be a bad year for viewing the Leonid meteors in terms of observational conditions, as the moon is in its waning crescent phase and will cause severe light pollution for night sky watchers around the constellation. "Leo" or "Leo" are looking for meteors, it will not create. In addition, there is a possibility of a direct passage through a dense area of dust, which could make this year's shower shine even more. To be in the cold for a long time. The temperature may be much lower than what the weather forecast says, so you should be fully prepared for this event. There are fragments scattered in space by the comet "Tempel-Tuttle". this comet orbits the inner solar system every 33.25 years, and with each visit it leaves a trail of dust in its path. this trail of dust passes. Sometimes it even passes directly through a dense trail that can cause meteor storms, displaying thousands of meteors per hour. this is what happened in 1999, 2001 and 2002, and as Temple-Tuttle passed the Sun in 1998, it put on its best show in the years immediately following.

From By then, Temple-Tuttle and its dusty trail had all gone far beyond Earth's orbit and back into the outer regions of the solar system. In 2014, this comet reached the end of its elliptical path near the orbit of Uranus. Thus, the Asadi meteor shower has been relatively rare in recent years.

Now, although it is still very far away, it is on its way back and is slowly approaching the inner part of the solar system. According to Temple-Tuttle estimates, it will approach the Sun again in 2031.

So this year, the probability of unusual activity of the Asadi meteor shower will be low, but watching the meteors shine in the sky without the disturbing light of the moon is still spectacular. It is predicted that the peak of this year's rainfall will take place on November 17 and 18 (the morning of November 27 and 28, Tehran time) and it is possible to observe 5 to 15 meteors every hour.

However, if the estimation of two scientists If the meteorite hunter is right, we might see a spectacular show this year. These scientists have produced several models of the Temple-Tuttle stream, all of which show that Earth's orbit will interrupt some of the debris flow left by the comet this year.

Esdi meteor shower storm in 2001
Credit: Koen Miskotte

An uncertain forecast

In the 2022 edition of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada's Observer's Guide, meteorologists Margaret Campbell-Brown and Peter Brown indicate that this year's peak activity should be in It will happen at 19:00 on November 17, Eastern time zone (in Iran around 02:30 to 03:30 on Friday, November 27). It has passed before, will pass, and will likely encounter some of its remnants. this time is very favorable for observers living in Central and Western Europe, Western Asia, and the Middle East. But for North American observers, the peak of the shower will be below the horizon and they will have to wait until after midnight to see at least part of the shower.

Modeling calculations by Russian meteorologist Mikhail Maslov. Maslov) and his Japanese colleague Mikiya Sato also show a trail of dust left by the 1733 Temple-Tuttle passage, which can create a spectacular sight a few hours after the peak of the rain. According to Maslov's estimate, the peak of this transit will be on November 19 at 01:00 in the morning of the eastern time zone (09:30 Tehran time).

At this time, the Earth will pass the distance of 143 thousand kilometers of the 1973 current. Maslov predicts bright meteors at an hourly rate of 250 to 300, but Sato is much more conservative and considers this rate to be more than 50.

Given such a time, it is more difficult to observe the passage of the 1973 remnant for other regions and For example, the meteors that reach the earth during this passage will not be seen in Iran, however, the hours before sunrise can still be an ideal option for observation. "Earth-grazer" These meteors enter the Earth's upper atmosphere in an almost horizontal path and then leave it. These types of meteors are usually They are slow and bright, leaving long streaks across the sky that are worth waiting for and looking for.

In 1401 there will also be a possible final wave of the Esdi meteor shower, November 21 at 12:00 EST ( 30 Aban at 20:30 Tehran time) will occur due to the remnants of the comet caused by the passage of 1800, the timing of which shows favorable conditions for Hawaii and East Asia.

The sky of the last nights of Aban 1401 and the location of the focus of the Asda meteor shower, which can be seen in the sickle-like design of the constellation Leo .
Credit: Chris Vaughan

Watching the Asadi meteor Shower

Watching a meteor shower is one of the most enjoyable astronomical activities that involves lying down, looking up at the sky, and waiting. But this expectation, especially in the cold seasons of the year, has some prerequisites that you must follow.

Like other meteor showers, this shower also has the name of the center of the shower and the path of the meteors reaches the constellation Asad. Therefore, to see more of the meteor, you should explore around this constellation, which rises from the eastern horizon in the early hours of the morning and goes below the western horizon as the morning approaches. You can use the night sky map to orient the constellations.

View the night sky map book

When completely still near the rapidly cooling Earth. You lie down, you may feel cold and tired very soon. You expect to see meteors, but when you don't see them right away, when you are not in a comfortable place and you are cold, you may give up observing.

So, make sure that the place you prepare for observing, Be warm and comfortable. A sleeping and comfortable travel chair, thick blankets, sleeping bag, pillow and cushion are essential equipment for observing the meteor shower in the cold, which you can buy to prepare yourself for a quiet observing night. "direction: ltr;">view comfortable chair in digikala

On the other hand, drinking hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate can both warm the body and are effective as a mild stimulant to stay awake at night; And observing with family members or friends not only enhances the enjoyment of hot drinks, but also helps you to keep each other awake and cover more parts of the sky.

Observation of instant coffee in SafirSoft

Because the meteors of the Asadi shower move along their orbit around the sun, in the direction opposite to the earth, they hit the earth's atmosphere almost head-on, and as a result, the fastest ones are possible to The speed can reach 72 km/s. Such speeds cause the formation of bright and colorful meteors in white, blue, blue and even green colors that leave long streaks. Therefore, for observers in areas like Iran, not only is the peak of precipitation at a favorable time, but also in terms of quality, it is possible to watch attractive meteors.

Even if the numbers mentioned by Maslov and Sato above, It may be far-fetched, but certainly a small number of these meteors, although only visible for a fraction of a second, can show a bright trail of ionized atoms as tiny dust particles pass through the atmosphere at an altitude of 130 to 160 km. Let them hang in the sky for several seconds, or even possibly minutes. And seeing even one super bright meteor will be worth staying up in the early morning cold!

Cover photo: Esdi meteor shower over an alpine lake
Credit: j2chav/Getty Images

Sources: Space, Nojum Magazine