Ohioans expected to get meteor show
5/23/2014COLUMBUS — Clear skies predicted for much of Ohio should make for prime viewing for a meteor shower early Saturday.
That’s when our planet will pass by debris from Comet 209P/Linear. The dusty debris is what creates the meteor shower. Scientists believe the shower could produce three, four or more — possibly a few hundred more — shooting stars per minute.
Experts say the shower should peak from around 2 a.m. until nearly dawn. Some observatories around the state are opening their doors to visitors who want a better look, although the show will be visible to the naked eye throughout North America.
Comet 209P/Linear was discovered in 2004. It will be about 7.6 million miles from Earth on Saturday.
The shower’s name is Camelopardalids. It’s named after the giraffe constellation.