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Draconid meteor shower: When and how to see the peak
CNN • • science
Key Points:
- The Draconid meteor shower will peak at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, with meteors visible into early Friday morning depending on location, primarily best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere.
- The shower is named after the constellation Draco, as meteors appear to radiate from that area of the sky, and is caused by Earth passing through debris from comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
- Unlike most meteor showers that peak in the early morning, the Draconids are best seen just after nightfall due to the radiant point's position, with meteors moving more slowly and lasting longer in the sky.
- While generally smaller than other showers, the Draconids have the potential to produce a meteor storm with hundreds or thousands of meteors per hour when Earth passes through concentrated comet debris.
- Viewing is best away from artificial light, lying back with a wide sky view, and no special equipment is needed; additional meteor showers are expected later in the year.
