Theta Centaurids is a weak

meteor shower A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at ext ...

that occurs from January 23 to March 12. It is only visible from the Southern Hemisphere.

Basic information

*Abbreviation: TCE *Speed: 60 km/s *Rating: Weak *Hourly rate: 4 *Peak Date: February 14 * Radiant: Alpha= 210 degrees, Delta= -40 degrees

More information

Theta Centaurids is the northernmost of several meteor showers. The radiant is located west of

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. Theta Centaurids is best seen at five o’clock in the morning and eleven o’clock at night. This shower occurs as little as one day after Alpha Centaurids, a meteor shower around the same area. Another meteor shower nearby is the Omicron Centaurids shower. Theta Centaurids is considered a very fast meteor shower. Its range is -9, +40. It has 14:00 for a

right ascension Right ascension (abbreviated RA; symbol ) is the angular distance of a particular point measured eastward along the celestial equator from the Sun at the equinox (celestial coordinates), March equinox to the (hour circle of the) point in questio ...

, and a

declination In astronomy, declination (abbreviated dec; symbol ''δ'') is one of the two angles that locate a point on the celestial sphere in the equatorial coordinate system, the other being hour angle. The declination angle is measured north (positive) or ...

of -41 (

Right ascension Right ascension (abbreviated RA; symbol ) is the angular distance of a particular point measured eastward along the celestial equator from the Sun at the equinox (celestial coordinates), March equinox to the (hour circle of the) point in questio ...

and

are like latitude and longitude for astronomy). This meteor shower badly needs a thorough scientific study.

References

Custer Observatory

International Meteor Organization

External links

International Meteor Organization
Meteor showers January February March {{meteoroid-stub