Meteor lights up the sky over Shropshire
A bright meteor was seen over the skies of Shropshire and a large part of the UK on Wednesday evening.
The meteor was seen breaking up in a north-easterly direction around 5:35pm on Wednesday.
James Morris from Wem contacted shropshirelive.com after seeing the bright meteor, James said:
“I know there is normally a meteor shower around this time of year but seeing the meteor break up really took me by surprise, I was just heading home from work when it crossed the sky.
“At first I thought it was a firework but then realised that it was heading in a downward direction not upwards like a rocket would normally travel.”
The sighting is ahead of this year’s Geminids meteor shower considered by many to be the best meteor shower, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak which occurs on the night of December 13 and morning of the 14th.
The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Gemini. The Moon will set early in the evening setting the sky up for a spectacular show. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight.
Lunar Eclipse
Sky watchers are also in for a treat this month when during the hours before dawn on December 21st, the Moon undergoes its first total lunar eclipse visible from the UK for 3 years.
Sadly, the timing is not optimal, as mid eclipse takes place at 08:16 the Moon will have set and the sky will be brightening as the sun rises.
The Moon begins entering enter the penumbral shadow of the Earth at 5:29 when it’s just under 30 degrees above the horizon. The left hand side of the moon will then darken until at 07:41 it will be within the umbral shadow.
During this time it will appear to have a "bite" taken out of its lower left side. But, by then, it will only be a few degrees above the horizon with the well know bronze colouring being lost in the atmospheric haze.
Did you see the meteor over Shropshire?
Let us know below…
