Twin meteor showers are when two bright meteors sweep through the sky simultaneously.
Let's see how that happens.
What Is A Meteor?
You must be aware of shooting stars, which travel at the speed of light through the sky. They are not actual stars; there is a technical term for that.
Yes, they are referred to as meteors by astronomers.
Meteors are the rocks, debris, or dust particles from space that hit the earth's atmosphere. When they move at such a rapid speed in the atmosphere, they heat up and create streaks of light. And it is why they give the perception of a shining star from a long distance.
Most of the time, meteors don't even reach the earth's surface, especially when they are smaller in volume. Eventually, they get burned in the atmosphere.
However, the large-sized meteors manage to survive and hit the ground. And such a surviving meteor is called a meteorite.
What Is A Meteor Shower?
A meteor shower is when several meteors enter the earth's atmosphere at high speed. The effect is similar to numerous stars rapidly moving and radiating in the night sky.
It occurs when the earth passes through the debris of disintegrated comets and asteroids during its orbit. Although the earth's path is always circular, comets sometimes fail to have cohesive orbits. As a result, they enter our atmosphere after crossing paths with the earth.
What Are Twin Meteor Showers?
A twin meteor shower is a stellar celestial show when not one but two meteors hit the sky at the same time. Every year, it takes place on a specific date and is considered an eventful sighting.
Meteors emit a glow and can have red, green, or yellow trails. The ionization of molecules is responsible for the colors.
An ethereal twin meteor shower happened last year in late July when Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids illuminated the night sky.
Twin meteor showers rarely happen in summer and are tricky to observe clearly. We don't know yet if it will happen again this year.