For the first time in 20 years, a rare meteor storm could be visible from Earth this weekend, resulting in thousands of ‘shooting stars’.
Rumours of a possible meteor storm at the end of May have been circulating like news of a high school hookup. But scientists are now suggesting there could potentially be another one on the cards – and it’s only two days away from passing Earth.
A meteor storm is basically just the jacked up version of meteor shower, but a lot rarer and so much better. The term pretty much describes thousands of rocks hurtling though the atmosphere, causing a bunch of cosmic fireworks.
A cosmic firework sounds like a cocktail your mate who just got back from three weeks in Poland might force you to drink, but they’re actually just the sparks created when the meteors hit other objects.
It’s hard to precisely predict when a meteor shower is going to hit, and it’s also difficult to tell how big the storm will be when it does. But back in 1966, a meteor storm hit on the 17th of November, and 20 meteors could be seen every single second.
So in short, we can’t tell you when exactly when the storm will pass, but it is expected to be around 8:20 pm on Sunday night (AEST). So if you head outside after dinner on Sunday, there’s a chance you’ll see a few shooting stars.
Just make sure you get your wishes ready beforehand, because those things move pretty damn fast.
