Rare Taurid meteors dazzle Vietnamese skies tonight

04/11/2024 15:54

Although both Taurid showers are expected to produce a modest number of meteors per hour, they stand out for their size and brightness, making these some of the most remarkable of the year.

Visitors observe the sky at the Astronomical Observatory in Hà Nội.— VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — In November, skywatchers are in for a spectacular treat with two rare fireball meteor showers: the Southern Taurids and Northern Taurids.

These meteor showers, known for their bright, slow-moving fireballs, will be visible from Earth, with optimal viewing conditions expected.

The Southern Taurids, originating from the constellation Taurus, will peak on November 5. In Việt Nam, the best time to catch this cosmic display will be on the night of November 4 and into the early hours of November 5.

Space.com reports that 2024’s Southern Taurids will be easier to observe as the Moon will only reach about 15 per cent brightness during the peak, creating ideal conditions for spotting these dazzling meteors.

However, the Northern Taurids, which peak on the night of November 11 into the morning of November 12, may be somewhat obscured by the Moon’s 84 percent brightness, affecting the visibility of some of the dimmest meteors in the shower.

Although both Taurid showers are expected to produce a modest number of meteors per hour, they stand out for their size and brightness, making them some of the most remarkable of the year.

"The Taurids are rich in fireballs, so if you see a Taurid it can be very brilliant and it'll knock your eyes out, but their rates absolutely suck," NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke explained.

"It's simply the fact that when a Taurid appears it's usually big and bright."

Unlike typical meteors, Taurid fireballs are larger, enduring longer as they travel through earth’s atmosphere. NASA notes that while most Orionid meteors burn up at around 93km altitude, Taurids can reach depths of 66km, putting on a longer-lasting show.

These meteors move at around 27km per second, much slower than meteors from the Perseid shower, which travel at 5km per second.

Although the Taurids appear to radiate from Taurus, they actually originate from the massive comet Encke, whose nucleus is about 4.8m wide. — VNS

Theo vietnamnews.vn
https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1666284/rare-taurid-meteors-dazzle-vietnamese-skies-tonight.html
Copy Link
https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1666284/rare-taurid-meteors-dazzle-vietnamese-skies-tonight.html
    • Top Vietnamese leader concludes official visit to Malaysia
      General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam left Kuala Lumpur at noon on November 23, wrapping up their three-day official visit to Malaysia, at the invitation of Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his spouse.
    • First Vietnamese scientist named at UK’s TechWomen 100 Awards
      With outstanding achievements in biotechnology, Nguyễn Thụy Bá Linh from University College London (UCL) has become the first Vietnamese scientist to win the UK's TechWomen 100 Awards.
    • Vietnam honours Japan’s Sojitz, Sumitomo Corporations
      The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan held a ceremony on November 22 to present the Prime Minister's certificates of merit to Sojitz Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation in recognition of their contributions to Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation.
    • Vietnam, Japan strengthen cooperation to develop agricultural supply chains
      A seminar on connecting agricultural supply chains was held in Hanoi on November 22, promoting agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.
    • SPRINT Project launched in Yen Bai to empower ethnic minority women
      The Yen Bai provincial Cooperative Alliance joined forces with the Cowater International of Canada to launch the “SMEs Promote Resilience, Inclusion and Innovation Transformation” (SPRINT) Project on November 22.
    • Clean for a better tomorrow
      "Cleaning Hoàn Kiếm Lake with Ninomiya" is a group of volunteers who clean up litter from Hoàn Kiếm Lake every Sunday morning. Inspired by the action of Tohru Ninomiya, who started this activity over 10 years ago, many banded together to act and spread this model to other areas.
    Highlighted VietBao
    Don't miss
    Rare Taurid meteors dazzle Vietnamese skies tonight
    POWERED BY ONECMS - A PRODUCT OF NEKO