Aquarid Meteor Shower, Total Lunar Eclipse Coming on July 28
22 July 2018 11:10 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Bandung - In the same sky, the meteor shower accompanies the longest total lunar eclipse in the 21st century on July 28, 2018. The meteor shower of South Delta Aquarid will reach its peak time on 28-29 July.
“During the full moon, it will be difficult [to see], but during the eclipse, it should be visible,” said the astronomy activist in Bandung, Avivah Yamani.
The South Aquarid Delta meteor shower appears to originate from the constellation of Aquarius and Capricornus. At its peak on July 28-29, the number of meteor dashes ranged from 16 to 25 meteors per hour.
The observation of Aquarid meteor shower that comes from the shards of Marsden and Kracht Sungrazing comets can be done from sunset to dawn. The position of the moon on July 28, said ITB graduate Astronomy, also close to the constellation of Capricornus.
The moon that is in the full moon phase can be a source of light pollution for meteor shower observation on 29 and 30 July.
“For the observation on July 28 from midnight to dawn, Total Lunar Eclipse can be a distinct advantage,” said the founder of the Langit Selatan (Southern Sky) community of Bandung.
There is actually an Alpha Capricornid meteor shower from the direction of the constellation of Capricornus also from 3 July to 15 August. Quoting from langitselatan.com page, the peak of the meteor shower is on July 30. But the dash is rare, about five meteors per hour.
Usually, there is a fireball formed and passing through the night sky. Along with the full moon phase, the light will be the main source of pollution to see the meteor shower.
ANWAR SISWADI
