Editor's note: This event is now closed.

› Chat Transcript (PDF, 325 Kb)

Scientists anticipate a new meteor shower tonight: the May Camelopardalids, resulting from the dust of periodic comet 209P/LINEAR. No one has seen it before, but the shower could put on a prolific show. The shower is predicted to be active on May 24, 02:30 - 11:00 UTC (May 23, 10:30 p.m. to May 24, 7 a.m. EDT). The peak is projected between 06:00 - 08:00 UTC (2-4 a.m EDT). This will be a one-night-only event.



Projected viewing of May Camelopardalids meteor shower at 06:00 UTC. Click here for full map. (NASA/MSFC/Danielle Moser)

“Some forecasters have predicted a meteor storm of more than 200 meteors per hour,” said Bill Cooke, lead for NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office. “We have no idea what the comet was doing in the 1800s. The parent comet doesn’t appear to be very active now, so there could be a great show, or there could be little activity.”

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› Audio: Dr. Bill Cooke discusses May Camelopardalids (mp3s) Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3