After a new meteor shower, the peak is expected to occur next week. On Thursday morning, at about noon, this new meteor shower, which is expected to be named Lambda-Sculptorídeas, will begin.
The new meteor shower, Lambda-Sculptorídeas, has been the topic of discussion after an article about it was made available on the preprint server arXiv. The report, which was authored by the world-renowned meteorologist Jeremie Vaubaillon of the Paris Observatory in France, states that the shower will reach its peak next week in the southern hemisphere.
According to the study, the meteor shower is expected to make its debut next Thursday (12) between 5 and 9.30 in the morning, according to Brasília time. The proposed name for the shower, Lambda-Sculptorídeas, is derived from the location of the radiant, which is close to the star -Sculptoris (Lambda Sculptoris).
While this information is making waves among astronomers and meteor enthusiasts, it is important to note that the likely cause of this meteor shower is comet 46P/Wirtanen. The comet, which has an estimated diameter of 1.2 km and an orbital period of 5.4 years, was first photographed by the American astronomer Carl A. Wirtanen on January 17, 1948. It took more than a year for the object to be identified as a short-period comet due to limited initial observations.
Comet 46P/Wirtanen gained attention in December 2018 when the National Solar System released an image of it. On December 16, it passed within a few million kilometers of Earth, which is about thirty times the distance to Mercury. Usually, the comet has to travel a significant distance around the Earth before it can be seen. However, on its most recent visit, it came exceptionally close, making it the twelfth closest approach of a comet to Earth in the modern era and one of the brightest comets observed in the last 20 years.
Interestingly, there were previous sightings of Comet 46P/Wirtanen in 2007, 2012, and 2017. Based on models, scientists believe that Earth may have encountered a triangle of debris in 2007 and 2018, which could have potentially caused meteor showers. However, these events were never officially recorded. Nonetheless, astronomers who observed the comet’s discovery are eagerly awaiting a peer review of their findings.
The discoverers of the new meteor shower, Lambda-Sculptorídeas, note that observations of the meteoroids will be a challenge due to their slow entry velocity and relatively small sizes. Despite the challenges, the article encourages meteor enthusiasts to conduct scientific observations and submit their reports to the International Meteorological Organization (IMO).
Many people are curious about whether this new meteor shower will be visible. According to Brazilian astronomer Marcelo Zurita, the viewing conditions in Brazil will not be optimal. He explains that the meteor shower is not well-known yet since it is a new phenomenon. Additionally, the peak of the shower is expected to occur during the morning hours, with an estimated rate of 10 meteors per hour.
However, Australia is forecasted to be the best place on Earth to witness the Lambda-Sculptorídeas meteor shower. Despite this, Zurita cautions that observing the meteors at the beginning of the night on the 12th may still be challenging due to their low intensity. The meteor trails generated by the small particles of the shower will not emit much light and will reach the Earth at a relatively low speed of around 11 km/s. Nonetheless, for those who venture out to observe the meteors, it promises to be a rewarding experience.
In conclusion, excitement surrounds the upcoming Lambda-Sculptorídeas meteor shower, which is expected to peak next week. Scientists and amateurs alike are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to witness this new phenomenon and contribute to our understanding of the universe. While challenges may arise due to the slow entry velocity and small sizes of the meteoroids, dedicated observers are urged to document and report their findings to further enhance our knowledge of these celestial events.
