Meet Star Gazers

Lyrid Meteor Shower

Episode Summary

In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing Michael Magee on how to best prepare for observing the Lyrid meteor shower.

Episode Notes

Michael Magee is the planetarium director of the Flandrau Science Center at the University of Arizona. In this episode, he shares with us his recommendations on how to best prepare for observing the Lyrid meteor shower.

Time Stamps :

• 06:00 : What is a meteor and a meteor shower ?
• 08:47 : Why do meteor showers occur ?
• 10:04 : What causes the Lyrid meteor shower ?
• 13:09 : Are meteor showers and shooting stars the same thing ?
• 14:33 : What is the difference between a meteoroid, a meteor and a meteorite ?
• 17:04 : What is a fireball ?
• 19:13 : What is the radiant of a meteor shower ?
• 21:17 : What is the ZHR of a meteor shower ?
• 22:23 : What is a persistent train in the context of a meteor ?
• 24:00 : When does the Lyrid meteor shower occur ? What time can I observe the Lyrid meteor shower ?
• 26:36 : Where in the sky do I look for the Lyrid meteor shower ? Which direction do I need to look to observe the Lyrid meteor shower ?
• 31:00 : Will the Lyrid meteor shower be visible from the northern as well as the southern hemisphere ?
• 32:19 : Does the presence of the Moon affect meteor shower observation ?

Useful Links and Resources :

• Flandrau Science Snacks – Space Bites – The Lyrids Meteor Shower
• International Meteor Organization
• American Meteor Society
• David Levy's Guide to Observing Meteor Showers

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