Possible Meteor Outburst on 15 May 2022

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The chart above presents the sky as seen from Southern California at 10:20 Universal Time on May 15, 2022. The 99% illuminated moon lies in western Libra, 22 degrees above the southwestern horizon while the expected radiant (dark circle) lies 70 degrees high in the northwestern sky. Chart courtesy Southern Star Systems

On the morning of May 15, 2022, the Earth is expected to pass though a debris field created by the Apollo asteroid known as 2006GY2. This object is actually a double minor planet with the main body estimated at 400 meters and the secondary satellite at 80m. While the density of debris field is unknown, the fact that this object is a double minor planet may provide a dense stream of debris.

The time of closest approach is at 10:20 UT on May 15th. This timing is ideal for the southwestern USA and Mexico. Unfortunately the moon is only one day from full and any faint meteors will most likely be obscured by the intense moonlight. If your sky is clear and transparent, we encourage you to view the sky near this time to try and confirm any activity. Visual observations are accepted by the International Meteor Organization. Simply register (it’s free) or log in at www.imo.net and enter your data on their visual meteor observing form. We ask for sessions of at least an hour long due to the fact that the prediction may be off from what is quoted here.

The radiant is expected to be located northwestern Hercules, 3 degrees east of the 4th magnitude star known as tau Herculis. Note that this outburst has no relation with the tau Herculids (TAU) which are associated with comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 and may occur on the night of May 30/31. The estimated entry velocity is 36km/sec., which is of medium speed and similar to that of the Geminid meteors.

This is the first of three possible meteor outbursts in the month of May. We will review the others as we approach the date of expected maximum!

References:

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006CBET..534….1B/abstract Accessed 9 May 2022

2022 IMO Meteor Shower Calendar; by Jürgen Rendtel, Page 6

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18 comments

  • Dana Adams 3 years ago

    Saw one in Early, Texas deep in the heart of Texas tonight from my porch! It was REAL close. The fire was crazy!

    Reply to Dana
  • Garry 3 years ago

    I haven’t seen one since mid eighties but it was spectacular I swear I could hear it it was in northern central Alberta about 7:00 AM still quite dark near Wabamun lake going to an early minor hockey game .

    Reply to Garry
  • Lassie 3 years ago

    Saw a huge one in zip code 37615 tonight around 9:45 pm!

    Reply to Lassie
  • John Hopkins 3 years ago

    I saw something falling from the sky today at 4:20 pm EST in SW Virginia. It left a small, rapidly dissipating trail and appears to be moving very fast and plummeting, not cruising smoothly like a plane would do. All normal air traffic moves laterally right to left from my view, but this was a steep diagonal downward. Never heard anything and it went behind a large cumulus cloud. Local news weather had no reports.

    Reply to John
  • Deanna 3 years ago

    I saw one this morning near the Jacksonville International airport around 5:30 am on my way to work. Noticed it as a green streak that then turned orange and then a trail of smoke.

    Reply to Deanna
  • KOKO 3 years ago

    i saw something driving home from work around midnight in the Severn, MD area around midnight on 5/12/2022. I thought at first i was seeing a streetlight reflecting in the windshield. I had time to pull on the shoulder and stop. You could almost see it rolling and it had a bit of a tail. It didnt seem to land but just vanish like it had gone out, though it could have gone behind a coud or tree. it was pretty low in the sky. I haven’t seen or heard any reports.

    Reply to KOKO
  • Robbin Smith 3 years ago

    It is 12am 5-16-2022. We are at lake JB Thomas in West Texas, Scurry County. The meteors are flying!! The moon is so bright, so we are surprised we can actually see them, but it’s incredible!!! They’re dancing across the sky.

    Reply to Robbin
  • Philip Moore 3 years ago

    I watched this morning, 15 May, from approximately 10 to 11 UT, that is 3 to 4 am here in Eugene, Oregon. The sky was hazy, and because of the bright moon, I could only see stars down to the 3rd magnitude, but I did not see any meteors during this time. Certainly, a fifth magnitude meteor would have escaped my notice, I will be interested to hear of other reports.

    Reply to Philip
  • Roberta Moose 3 years ago

    Saw one from Carson City Nevada in the Northern sky 5/14/2022 around 11:00 lucky me

    Reply to Roberta
  • Katelynne Joy 3 years ago

    I saw one around 11:26pm tonight! It was amazing!!

    Reply to Katelynne
  • Jason Cooley 3 years ago

    This morning my girlfriend and I clearly saw that there was a planet peeking up from behind the moon. It was a big planet. We where in north Fresno California about 5:30 am. The last 5 min as the moon disappeared on the hurizon. It was plain as day.

    Reply to Jason
  • Hannah 3 years ago

    Commenting from AZ. Found this article after trying to find out what we just witnessed! Like a blue arrow with two yellow tails. We were watching the blood moon when it happened!

    Reply to Hannah
  • Linda 3 years ago

    5/15/2022 I saw a trail at 10:20 p.m in central Wisconsin. Just as lunar eclipse was starting!

    Reply to Linda
  • John 3 years ago

    I watched on the morning of May 15th from 2:30am PST to 5:15am. Great location at 3,000′ but zero meteors to report from here in Central California (Santa Cruz County, CA)

    Reply to John
  • Angie 3 years ago

    Saw one up here in Larimore, ND gliding across the sky during the lunar eclipse last night on 15 May 2022 at 2216. It was very faint with the naked eye, but still visible and extraordinary to see! The tail looked like it was sparkling. 🙂

    Reply to Angie
  • Luke Hartley 3 years ago

    Saw one may 15th around 11 pm in Reynolds, ga 31076 looked like it was coming right at me. Was a bright yet dark orange and took about 5 seconds to burn up.

    Reply to Luke
  • Karissa P 3 years ago

    Going back through photos with my husband today of my birthday camping trip (my birthday is May 16 so we headed to clear skies to camp and see the eclipse) and came across a photo of a long sparkly trail we saw around 10pm PST in central WA… we were totally mind blown but had somehow forgotten about seeing it until now, checked the date and time stamp on the photos and with some googling found this article. Pretty cool! Glad we got photos.

    Reply to Karissa

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