Meteor shower this week: Everything you need to know about tau Herculids
There's a chance you might see a slight meteor shower known as the tau Herculids this long weekend.
Earth will pass through debris trails of a broken comet, according to NASA. The comet, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, or SW3, broke into big ol' fragments about 25 years ago.
If the fragments that popped off the comet were ejected at great speeds — we're talking twice the normal speeds — then it'll be able to reach earth, and will show us a dazzling display of meteors. And observations from 2009 show that some fragments might be moving fast enough!
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Will we be able to see tau Herculids meteor shower?
The tau Herculids, a possible new meteor shower from May 30-31, has left some astronomers absolutely delighted at the possibility. But other scientists are a bit more reserved, thinking we might not see anything that lives up to a vivid, stunning, and sparkling meteor shower.
In all likelihood, if the tau Herculids meteor shower does occur, it'll be faint.
How and when to watch the meteor shower
Take a look if you're in North America under clear, dark skies around 1 a.m. ET May 31 — you just might be able to spot it, NASA reports.
And if this meteor shower doesn't live up to your expectations, don't worry: You have plenty of other opportunities to wish upon a star. In just a few weeks, the popular Perseids meteor show will take the sky.
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Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
