Star-hop to the radiant of the Eta Aquarids
3 comments Print Me Email to FriendTonight's Sky for Sunday, May 04 2008
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is expected to peak in the predawn sky Monday morning – May 5, 2008 – from roughly two hours to one hour before sunrise. Look on our almanac page for your sunrise time.
The point in the sky from which meteors in annual showers appear to radiate is called the meteor shower radiant. You don’t have to locate the radiant to watch the Eta Aquarid meteors, but people always ask about them. Although the Eta Aquarid meteors streak all over the sky, they appear to radiate from the Y-shaped group of stars called the Water Jar. The Water Jar is part of the constellation Aquarius.
To star-hop to the Water Jar, first of all find the four stars of the Great Square of Pegasus. Looking eastward at about 4 to 4:30 a.m. (Daylight Saving Time), the Great Square of Pegasus glitters like a celestial baseball diamond. Imagine the bottom star as home base. Draw a line from the third base star through the first base star, then go twice that distance to locate the star Sadal Melik.
To the lower left of Sadal Melik is the small Y-shaped Water Jar, marking the approximate radiant of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. Again, you don’t need to know the shower’s radiant point to watch the meteors! On Monday morning before dawn, the meteors in this annual shower will appear in all parts of the sky.
I went out shortly after midnight and saw a few meteors. A beautiful clear sky here (~17N) with gorgeous views of Ursa Major, Crux, Scorpio, Leo, Hydra, and Gemini. I tried looking for Mercury on the horizon but no luck.
A beautiful clear sky with some meteors!
Rob & Carolyn,
I only saw 5 meteors in the hour before dawn, though I’m quite far north at 45 degrees latitude. But the meteor shower was a great excuse for enjoying time beneath the stars. And as the stars are fading, it’s great to hear the singing birds welcoming the dawn of day. Rob, try finding Mercury by the moon on Tuesday, May 6.
Good luck!
Bruce