shooting

How rare are shooting stars?

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An old superstition suggests that if you wish upon a shooting star, your wish will be granted. The implication is that shooting stars are so rare, and your sighting so fortuitous, that you’ve been specially selected for a dose of good luck.  But are shooting stars actually all that elusive? And what are they, exactly? … Read more

Real shooting stars exist, but they aren’t the streaks you see in a clear night sky

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This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Idan Ginsburg, Academic Faculty in Physics & Astronomy, Georgia State University “I see thy glory like a shooting star.” So says the Earl of Salisbury as he ruminates about the future in Shakespeare’s “Richard II.” Shooting stars — … Read more

Help discover the origins of meteor showers by spotting shooting stars

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By Layal Liverpool Marius Heil/EyeEm/Getty Images I WANT to hunt for shooting stars, but it’s cold outside so I’m starting the search from my living room. You can do the same by joining the Radio Meteor Zoo project online. If you have ever seen a shooting star, you were probably witnessing a small solid object … Read more

The Ursid meteor shower peaks tonight. Don’t expect to see many ‘shooting stars.’

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According to the Observer’s Handbook of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, there are 11 meteor showers that are considered to be the “principal” displays of the year. In order to make the list, a particular meteor shower must produce at least 10 meteors per hour at maximum.  As it turns out, within a span … Read more