UAE residents to see unique meteor shower

Residents of the United Arab Emirates will see an incredible celestial phenomenon: the Arietid meteor shower, which is observed during daylight hours. It will reach its annual peak this Friday, 7 June 2024.

Unlike other meteor streams that peak after sunset, Arietidae reaches its maximum intensity during daylight hours.

‘This is one of the strongest meteor streams, as the bright sunlight makes it difficult to observe most meteors,’ said Sarath Raj, Project Director, Amity Dubai Satellite Ground Station and AmiSat, Amity University Dubai.

‘The Arietida meteor stream comes from a point in the constellation Aries, but because it is a daytime stream, the radiant is very close to the Sun in the sky,’ he added.

Mr Raj also explained that the Arietids can reach speeds of 60-200 meteors per hour at the peak, and they also enter the Earth’s atmosphere at a fairly low speed of about 21 kilometres per second, compared to the average of 59 kilometres per second typical of most such phenomena.

Experts emphasise that this week there is a chance of seeing a few meteors in the last dark hour before dawn, although most of this meteor shower will be indistinguishable to the naked eye.

“Unfortunately, catching the Arietida meteor shower in Dubai will be difficult due to its afternoon peak. However, there is a slight chance of spotting a few meteors around 3am on June 7 if the sky is clear with minimal light pollution,’ Mr Raj said.

Also, for those who missed the planet parade on 3 June, there is a surprise: there will be another one soon. The 2024 parades include six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. According to a report by Today.com, the second parade can be watched on 28 August.

 Source: Khaleej Times

Follow our Telegram Chanel