Stargazers on Vancouver Island could be treated to a major spectacle — or major disappointment.
Astronomers say the tau Herculids meteor shower could potentially flare up tonight as Earth passes through a disintegrating comet’s debris field.
The comet the meteors originate from, Schwassmann-Washmann 3, began breaking up in 1995, leaving behind a cloud of debris that continues to circle the sun.
With Earth passing through the debris field tonight, it could be the first time those meteors are seen visibly streaking through the night sky, creating a dazzling display. Or, it could be a dud.
RELATED: ‘Fireball’ streaks over Vancouver Island Sunday night amid meteor shower
“You really don’t know how intense it will be until it’s actually here,” said David Payne, vice-president of the Victoria chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. “The most spectacular meteor storm that I have personally have seen was about one shooting star, if you will, every two seconds. This has the potential to be even more intense than that.”
Payne says anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the meteor shower should look to Arcturus, a bright star in the southwestern sky, with the best chance of visibility coming at around 10 p.m.
Your best chance of photographing a streaking meteor is to use a camera with a wide-field view, using a long exposure and a high ISO setting, says Payne.
The key to whether the meteor shower will be visible depends on if the comet fragments are travelling twice than normal speed, according to NASA.
Will a new #meteorshower, the tau Herculids, put on a spectacular show the night of May 30-31? Maybe, maybe not. But if you have clear weather, the moonless sky should be beautiful for stargazing anyway.
Details: https://t.co/GzrnnIBkMD
All about meteors: https://t.co/SFZJQwdPxf pic.twitter.com/ShKZmc24Mc— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) May 27, 2022
“Spitzer observations published in 2009 indicate that at least some fragments are moving fast enough. This is one reason why astronomers are excited,” the agency said on its website. “If a meteor shower does occur, the tau Herculids move slowly by meteor standards – they will be faint.”
Even if the meteors are visible in North America, the night sky may not cooperate locally, with Environment Canada forecasting a “partly cloudy” sky. The Victoria Clear Sky Chart is expecting 70 per cent cloud cover.
If the celestial spectacle doesn’t light up the sky tonight, don’t fret — the reliable Perseids meteor shower is coming up in just a few months on Aug. 11-12.
Jeff Lawrence
