Tau Herculids meteor shower today: Know when, how to watch 1000 shooting stars light up the sky

Shooting stars, sparkling moon and meteor showers are some of the most beautiful sights for all night gazers. As per an independent US-based agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Earth is set to witness one of the most glinting meteor showers on the night of May 30.

According to researchers, the sky will dazzle with what is expected to be the brightest meteor shower in years. Astronomy enthusiasts across the globe have set their eyes upon the spectacular Tau Herculids meteor shower that has the potential to turn into a meteor storm.

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NASA, on the other hand, has said that events like this don’t live up to expectations sometimes. This is what happened with the 2019 Monocerotid shower and the Tau Herculids meteor shower today might be a “hit or miss”.

The independent agency has mentioned that “if the fragments from the comet were ejected with speeds greater than twice the normal speeds—fast enough to reach Earth—we might get a meteor shower.”

Where does the Tau Herculids meteor shower originate from?

The spectacular meteor shower seems to have originated from the Tau Herculis star. Based on data from NASA, the Earth will pass via the debris trail of a broken comet known as 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, or SW3, which is understood as the parent comet.

This comet was first discovered in Japan in 1930. It was in 1970 that researchers spotted it. Until then, it remained unknown as it was 600 times brighter than its former appearance. The comet then fragmented into pieces in 1995.

Where will the meteor shower be seen?

The Tau Herculid meteor shower is expected to be seen only in parts of North America under the clear, dark skies. The best time to watch it is around 1 am on the East Coast and around 10 on the West Coast.

Can Indians see the meteor shower today?

Those living in India will not be able to see the meteor shower directly but they can still watch the LIVE stream on NASA’s YouTube channel.