Article Image

IPFS News Link • Space Travel and Exploration

Weekend Lyrid meteor shower visible from Earth, space and ... balloon?

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com, By Tariq Malik
 The annual Lyrid meteor shower will hit its peak this weekend and promises to put on an eye-catching display. So much so, NASA is pulling out all the stops.

NASA scientists plan to track the Lyrid meteor shower using a network of all-sky cameras on Earth, as well as from a student-launched balloon in California. Meanwhile, an astronaut on the International Space Station will attempt to photograph the meteors from space.

All of the work is timed for the peak of the Lyrids display of "shooting stars," which occurs late Saturday night and early Sunday (April 21 and 22). The meteors will appear to emanate from the constellation Lyra, which will appear in the northeastern sky at midnight local time, between the two days. The best time to see them is in the hours before dawn.


Free Talk Live