AMMAN — Astronomer Imad Mujahid from
Wadi Rum/Umm Al-Dami Observatory said that according to previous astronomical
observations, the Kingdom’s sky is expecting a meteor shower, at dawn on April
22, through which about 20 to 100 meteors could be seen per hour, according to
Khaberni.
اضافة اعلان
Mujahid added that Comet Thatcher is the the source
of meteorites, as it leaves a train of dust in its orbit around the sun. When
the earth crosses this train on April 22 each year, meteors are more visible
during this period in the direction of the Lyra constellation.
He revealed that the meteors, which are called
Shooting Stars by the public, are microscopic dust atoms, which swim in space,
and are caused by comets. Dust atoms, which are increased in certain areas of
space, are called meteor swarms.
Mujahid pointed out that when the dust atoms of the
meteor shower approach the globe, they enter the atmosphere at a very high
speed, reaching 49km per second on average. As a result of this high speed,
heat is generated making them glow and appear in the form of shiny fiery arrows
for a while and before disappearing.
The meteors do not reach the earth’s surface as they
start burning at a height of 120km from the surface and eventually burn and
turn into ash at a height of 60km. Should they reach the surface, they would
small particles that cause no impact.
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