There is a lesser known meteor shower that peaks in early October. It is known as the Draconid Meteor Shower because they radiate from the constellation: Draco. The best way to find Draco is to use the Summer Triangle as a guide. In the evening throughout early October, the bright star Deneb will be sitting almost immediately overhead. It forms a triangle with the brighter star Vega and another bright star to the south, Altair. Using the diagram below as a reference look just to the northwest from the line between Deneb and Vega. This will be your radiant point, right out of the head of the Dragon.
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| Draconid Radiant |
The Draconid Meteor Shower occurs when the Earth transits a field of cometary debris from 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
Several times a zenith hourly rate has peaked over a thousand meteors per hour. However, we are not expected to have such a storm this year. Also, if there is a bright Moon out it will pollute our skies wiping out any faint meteors. However, still look up when it is dark and stare at that spot I pointed out in the map above. You may get lucky. Be patient. .
I have provided a link below if you would like to create your own chart like I did with the
Perseid Meteor Shower.
Draconid Meteor Shower Template
Instructions for filling it out can be found:
Explore the Universe - Meteor Showers
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