Theta Centaurids
Encyclopedia
Theta Centaurids is a weak meteor shower
that occurs from January 23 to March 12. It is only visible from the southern
hemisphere
.
. Theta Centaurids is best seen at five o’clock in the morning and eleven o’clock at night. This shower occurs as little as one day after Alpha Centaurids
, a meteor shower around the same area. Another meteor shower nearby is the Omicron Centaurids shower.
Theta Centaurids is considered a very fast meteor shower. Its range is -9, +40. It has 14:00 for a right ascension
, and a declination
of -41 (Right ascension
and declination
are like latitude and longitude for astronomy). This meteor shower badly needs a thorough scientific study.
Meteor shower
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories. Most meteors are smaller...
that occurs from January 23 to March 12. It is only visible from the southern
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
hemisphere
Hemisphere
Hemisphere may refer to:*Half of a sphereAs half of the Earth:*Any half of the Earth, see Hemispheres of the Earth, see:...
.
Basic Information
- Abbreviation: TCE
- Speed: 60 km/s
- Rating: Weak
- Hourly rate: 4
- Peak Date: February 14
- RadiantRadiant (meteor shower)The radiant or apparent radiant of a meteor shower is the point in the sky, from which meteors appear to originate. The Perseids, for example, are meteors which appear to come from a point within the constellation of Perseus....
: Alpha= 210 degrees, Delta= -40 degrees
More information
Theta Centaurids is the northernmost of several meteor showers. The radiant is located west of LupusLupus (constellation)
Lupus is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for wolf. Lupus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations...
. Theta Centaurids is best seen at five o’clock in the morning and eleven o’clock at night. This shower occurs as little as one day after Alpha Centaurids
Alpha Centaurids
The Alpha Centaurids are a meteor shower in the constellation Centaurus, peaking in early February each year. The average magnitude is around 2.5, with a peak of about three meteors an hour....
, a meteor shower around the same area. Another meteor shower nearby is the Omicron Centaurids shower.
Theta Centaurids is considered a very fast meteor shower. Its range is -9, +40. It has 14:00 for a right ascension
Right ascension
Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:...
, and a declination
Declination
In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and...
of -41 (Right ascension
Right ascension
Right ascension is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. The other coordinate is the declination.-Explanation:...
and declination
Declination
In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and...
are like latitude and longitude for astronomy). This meteor shower badly needs a thorough scientific study.