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Draconid meteor shower 2024: Everything you need to know
Image source, Getty Images
At Newsround we love to keep tabs on what's happening in our skies.
Every October we are graced with two special meteor showers - the Draconids and the Orionids.
This year, the Draconid meteor shower takes place between Tuesday 8 October and Thursday 10 October but will be most visible on Tuesday evening.
Image source, ESA
The Draconid meteor shower is on the smaller side and can only be visible from the northern hemisphere, which is the northern half of the Earth.
However, you can still expect to see a few meteors streak across the sky.
The rate of meteors during the shower's peak depend upon which part of the comet's trail the Earth orbit intersects on any given year.
So what exactly is it? And what's your best chance of seeing it? Don't worry - Newsround's got you covered.
What are meteors?
Image source, Getty Images
Meteors are bits of rocks and ice spewed out by comets as they move in their orbits around the Sun.
These small pieces can be as tiny as a grain of sand, but when they burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, they can create bright streaks of light through the night sky - that's what's known as a shooting star.
What are the Draconids?
Image source, Getty Images
The Draconoid meteor shower is named after the constellation Draco - meaning the Dragon - just like your favourite Harry Potter baddy Draco Malfoy!
Meteor showers are caused when the Earth travels through a cloud of cometary debris.
In this case, the Draconid meteor shower comes from the debris of comet 21 P/ Giacobini-Zinner.
The meteors enter the atmosphere at incredibly high speeds, ranging from around 11km (7 miles) to 72km (45 miles) per second.
Earth passes close to the orbit of this comet in early October each year.
When to watch?
Image source, Getty Images
Although this is a low key display compared to some of the larger showers later on in the year, the Draconids can be full of surprises.
In 1933 and 1946 stargazers saw thousands of meteors per hour and hundreds in 2011, according to astronomy experts EarthSky.
Unlike most other meteor showers that are best seen in the morning, the Draconids are actually best seen in the early evening, after the sun has set.
How can I watch the Draconid meteor shower?
Image source, EPA
Top tips for watching the Draconid meteor shower include:
- finding somewhere with a good, clear view of the stars with as few clouds as possible
- making sure to avoid direct sources of lights in your eyes, such as street lights and lights from homes and buildings
- Wrap up warm
You won't need to use a telescope or binoculars to view the meteor shower - your eyes should work just as well.