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Arietids meteor shower peaks this week, but sunlight prevents direct observation of the phenomenon.
An unusual meteor shower reaches its peak activity on Wednesday morning (10), according to the specialized platform EarthSky.org. Known as the Arietids, the occurrence is active between May 22 and July 3 and is distinguished by occurring during the daytime, when sunlight prevents the meteors from being seen by most people. The phenomenon occurs near dawn and can only be detected by specific methods, mainly used by researchers.
Although meteor showers are usually associated with nighttime observations, this event happens in a short time frame before sunrise. The combination of the meteors’ position and the intense brightness of the sky makes direct viewing extremely difficult in any region of the planet.
Why can’t the meteor shower be seen with the naked eye?
The main obstacle to observing the Arietids is the presence of sunlight. The activity occurs approximately between 45 and 60 minutes before dawn, a period when the sky is already starting to light up.
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Under these conditions, the meteors lose contrast against the Sun’s brightness and become practically invisible. Furthermore, the point in the sky from which they appear to originate is located near the eastern horizon during dawn, which further reduces the chances of observation.
According to Olhar Digital, the radiant of the shower is located near the star 41 Arietis, also called Bharani, in the constellation of Aries. As this region remains low on the horizon, the luminous trails tend to appear in lateral or almost parallel trajectories to the Earth’s atmosphere.
Marcelo Zurita, president of the Paraíba Astronomy Association (APA), member of the Brazilian Astronomical Society (SAB), and technical director of the Brazilian Meteor Observation Network (BRAMON), states that the occurrence has more scientific than observational value.
In a statement about the event, he says: “It occurs during the day and they are not meteors that are bright enough to be seen in daylight.”
Zurita also highlights the absence of extremely bright meteor records associated with this shower. “So, in fact, it’s just a curiosity. There will be a shower that people won’t be able to see anywhere in the world.”
How do scientists detect the meteor shower?
Despite the difficulty for visual observation, there are methods capable of identifying the passage of meteors.
As Marcelo Zurita explains, researchers use techniques related to radio astronomy to record the occurrence. During the entry of fragments into the atmosphere, ionized trails are produced that can reflect radio waves.
According to the expert: “There is a way to detect radio waves reflected in the ionized trails left by meteors during their atmospheric passage.”
He adds that this type of monitoring is not yet widely used in Brazil, although it is an efficient tool for tracking phenomena of this nature.
Meteor showers can be identified with simple radios
In addition to scientific equipment, there is an alternative mentioned by the site Space.com that can help in the indirect detection of the Arietids.
The technique involves using conventional FM radios tuned to frequencies without local transmission. When a meteor crosses the atmosphere, the ionized trails can reflect radio signals, producing brief interferences or small sounds captured by the device.
For the method to work properly, it is necessary to be in a location with little electromagnetic interference.
What are meteors and why do they shine?
Popularly known as shooting stars, meteors are luminous phenomena produced when small fragments of space rock traverse the Earth’s atmosphere at very high speeds.
According to Zurita, during this process, there is intense compression and heating of atmospheric gases in front of the object. As a result, a region of extremely hot ionized gas is formed that emits light for a very short period.
This glow may last only fractions of a second or, in some cases, a few seconds before disappearing.
When do meteor showers occur?
Meteors can often be observed at any time of the year. However, the so-called meteor showers happen when the Earth passes through regions of space containing a higher concentration of fragments left by comets or asteroids.
On these occasions, various debris enter the Earth’s atmosphere simultaneously, significantly increasing the number of luminous trails observed.
Among the main characteristics of the Arietids are:
- Activity period between May 22 and July 3;
- Peak expected on the morning of June 10;
- Observation window of approximately 45 to 60 minutes before sunrise;
- Radiant located near the star 41 Arietis;
- Phenomenon practically invisible to the naked eye;
- Possibility of detection by radio waves.
With information from Olhar Digital
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