Doing anything Tuesday night?
Word is getting around that we might see an unusual outburst of the annual Leonid meteor shower this year. Normally a pretty mild and sparse shower, the Leonids are known for spectacular outbursts every 33 years or so.From 1998 to 2001, the world was treated to several superb Leonid displays as Earth passed through denser parts of the dust streams left by Comet Tempel-Tuttle. These were the first times astronomers had been able to accurately predict such outbursts, and new predictions now suggest another good display on Nov. 17, 2009.
What are meteor showers?
Comets shed the debris that becomes most meteor showers. As comets orbit the Sun, they shed an icy, dusty debris stream along the comet's orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Depending on where Earth and the stream meet, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation.
Meteor showers are named by the constellation from which meteors appear to fall, a spot in the sky astronomers call the radiant. For instance, the radiant for the Leonid meteor shower is located in the constellation Leo. The Perseid meteor shower is so named because meteors appear to fall from a point in the constellation Perseus.
What are shooting stars?
When a meteor appears, it seems to "shoot" quickly across the sky, and its small size and intense brightness might make you think it is a star. If you're lucky enough to spot a meteorite (a meteor that makes it all the way to the ground), and see where it hits, it's easy to think you just saw a star "fall."
How can I best view a meteor shower?
For example, drive north to view the Leonids. Driving south may lead you to darker skies, but the glow will dominate the northern horizon, where Leo rises. Perseid meteors will appear to "rain" into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 11 p.m. in mid-August.
After you've escaped the city glow, find a dark, secluded spot where oncoming car headlights will not periodically ruin your sensitive night vision. Look for state or city parks or other safe, dark sites.
Once you have settled at your observing spot, lay back or position yourself so the horizon appears at the edge of your peripheral vision, with the stars and sky filling your field of view. Meteors will instantly grab your attention as they streak by.
How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?
What should I pack for meteor watching?
*http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/
*http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=6262
*Image Source
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