On the nights of October 6-10, we will be able to observe one of the greatest celestial spectacles in the Northern Hemisphere .
Meteor showers. Such a beautiful sounding word. We love to write it, say it out loud and close our eyes and imagine it at every opportunity. And finally there’s an occasion that more than justifies using the magic word again. Because in the next few days, the Giacobinids – better known as the Draconids – will be shining in the night sky of the northern hemisphere.
The shooting stars of the dragon
As you may have guessed, the name Draconid has something to do with dragons. It is derived from a constellation called Draco, which can only be observed from the northern hemisphere – even if it is barely visible. But does this mean that the Draconids are literally shooting stars?
Well, not really. The origin of the epithet Draconid is really just a coincidence: the shooting stars are actually stardust (another nice word, right?) that comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner – hence the name Giacobinids – leaves behind on its orbit around the sun. When the Earth regularly crosses the comet’s path – annually from October 6 to 10 – this dust glows as it falls into the atmosphere.
What does this have to do with the constellation Draco? When meteors fall into the atmosphere, they appear to emerge at a certain point in the sky. This is called a radiant. In the case of the Giacobinids, the radiant is the head of the constellation Draco. In other words, the shooting stars appear to come from the dragon itself.
When and where to see the Draconids
Although the meteor shower is active from October 6 to 10, it reaches its maximum on the night of October 8 – the best night to step out and look up. The ideal time for this is in the early evening hours. As this celestial phenomenon does not occur near the horizon but at the zenith, it is best observed from a horizontal position.
In addition, the moon is practically invisible at this time of the month. Without its luminous pollution, the sky is a much more optimal canvas to see the spectacle clearly.
Other Draconids that made history
The Draconids have historically proven to be a very intense meteor shower. The 2011 shower was the strongest ever in the last 15 years, leaving a bright, static body in the sky that has been given several names. There are also records of two strong meteor storms in 1933 and 1946. A meteor storm is considered to be such when it reaches 1000 meteors per hour. The meteor storm of 1933 had 10,000 meteors, the one of 1946 had 12,000.
Upcoming streams of shooting stars
The Perseids are the best known, but there are actually meteor showers all year round. In the second half of October, we can also observe the Orionids – they reach their peak on November 21. Also in November, in the early hours of the 17th and 18th, the Leonids will light up the sky. So it’s best to keep your eyes open!