Rare Chi Cygnid meteor shower peaks this weekend, won’t return until 2030
The mid-September meteor shower only comes once every five years, and stargazers will have a chance to see the rare event in the weekend sky.
NASA has uncovered spots on rocks, created or modified by water, on Mars in the past.
The night sky will soon host a rare type of meteor shower, one that appears far less often than the annual favorites like the Perseids or Geminids. The Chi Cygnids, which only come around once every five years, is expected to peak between Sept. 13 and Sept. 15.
"With the Chi Cygnids, it’s not about seeing a huge number of meteors, as with the famous August Perseids or December Geminids. Those seeking Chi Cygnids are inspired by the thrill of the hunt! If you see one or just a few Chi Cygnids, you’ll have bragging rights," EarthSky explained on its website.
Only a few meteors are expected every hour, but the ones that do streak across the sky will be much slower than the typical shooting star, making them easier to spot.
Two meteors streaking in front of the Milky Way on a summer night. (Getty Images)
The best viewing conditions will be after nightfall and into the early hours of the morning. Meteors from the shower can show up anywhere in the sky, but there’s a trick for identifying them: trace the path backward. If it points toward the constellation Cygnus, then it’s likely a Chi Cygnid.
The Chi Cygnids will fade after mid-September and likely won’t return until 2030.
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