Tau Herculids

E922166

Tau Herculids is a relatively rare and sometimes dramatic meteor shower associated with the periodic comet 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3, with meteors appearing to radiate from the constellation Hercules.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf astronomical event
meteor shower
2022OutburstCause Earth encountering 1995 breakup debris of 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3
activityPeriod late May to early June
associatedWith periodic comet 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 NERFINISHED
bestYearlyVisibility when comet debris trails intersect Earth closely
cause Earth passing through debris of 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3
classification periodic-comet-related shower
declinationOfRadiant approximately +41 degrees
discoveryMethod linked to 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 orbit
dustTrailAge includes very young meteoroid streams
firstNoted 1930s
geocentricVelocity about 16 km/s
hemisphereBias northern
IAUShowerCode TAH NERFINISHED
meteorAppearance can include bright meteors during outbursts
often faint
meteorTrailSource dust and small particles from 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3
meteorType cometary meteoroids
meteorVelocity slow
notableOutburst 1930 GENERATED
2022 GENERATED
observationOrganizations American Meteor Society NERFINISHED
International Meteor Organization NERFINISHED
observationRequirement clear weather
dark skies
minimal moonlight
outburstPotential sometimes dramatic
parentBody 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 NERFINISHED
parentCometBreakup further fragmentation in 2006
major fragmentation in 1995
parentCometOrbitalPeriod about 5.4 years
parentCometType Jupiter-family comet
peakActivity around May 30–31
peakPredictability less predictable than major annual showers
radiant near star Tau Herculis
radiantConstellation Hercules NERFINISHED
radiantLocation near the border of constellations Hercules and Bootes
radiantMotion radiant drifts slowly during activity period
radiantReferenceStar Tau Herculis NERFINISHED
rightAscensionOfRadiant approximately 236 degrees
scientificInterest studies of recent comet fragmentation
showerFamily Schwassmann–Wachmann 3 complex NERFINISHED
typicalMeteorRate often below naked-eye threshold in non-outburst years GENERATED
typicalObservationConditions best observed after local midnight
visibility also visible from parts of Southern Hemisphere
best seen from Northern Hemisphere
zenithalHourlyRate usually low

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Hercules hasMeteorShower Tau Herculids