Science - Reuters
Meteor Storm Set to Dazzle Star Gazers
By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - Star gazers in Europe, Britain and North America are
in for a treat next week and have prime viewing positions for what could
be the biggest natural fireworks display of the 21st century.
During the early hours of November 19 thousands of meteors, or shooting
stars, will light up the night sky as they enter the atmosphere at
speeds of about 160,000 miles per hour.
"It is a natural fireworks display, a celestial spectacle," Professor
Mark Bailey, of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland, told Reuters
on Friday.
Known as the Leonids because they originate in the constellation Leo,
the meteor storm will occur in two bursts during the night of November
18 to 19.
Britain and Europe will have the best views for the first burst of the
shower that scientists predict will occur at about 10:50 p.m. EDT and
residents in North America are best placed to see the second barrage at
about 5:30 a.m. EDT.
"You have two components to the shower, two parts of the world that are
potentially able to observe it," Bailey added.
Although a full moon might dull the spectacle a bit, this year's storm
could be the biggest for the next 100 years, with 1,000 meteors per hour
trailing across the sky in the first burst and as many as 6,000 per hour
during the second.
"The U.S. is better off than we are but on the other hand a thousand in
an hour is probably more than most people see in a lifetime," Bailey
said.
METEORIC DEBRIS
Meteors are bits of rock and dust that hit the Earth's atmosphere, heat
up and glow. Most vaporize as they descend but some explode.
The Leonids are debris from the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. About every 33
years the comet returns to the inner solar system and releases materials
that form new dust trails that stretch from the comet many millions of
miles away.
The comet is due to return to the inner solar system around 2033 and
2066 but the meteor storms are not expected to be as spectacular.
"The Earth just happens to be going through this very fine trail of
meteoric debris. That trail that we run into at four in the morning on
Tuesday the 19th was emitted during its passage around the sun in 1767,"
Bailey said.
The trail the Earth will pass through during the second part of the
storm was emitted 1866.
Thanks to calculating techniques developed by David Asher, of the Armagh
Observatory, and Robert McNaught, of the Australian National University,
Bailey said meteor storm prediction has become more precise.
"If the weather forecast sounds like it may be vaguely clear, it will be
well worth it."
Leonoid Nemoy Takes a Shower ( sorry, east coasters only )
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Science - Reuters
Meteor Storm Set to Dazzle Star Gazers
By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - Star gazers in Europe, Britain and North America are
in for a treat next week and have prime viewing positions for what could
be the biggest natural fireworks display of the 21st century.
During the early hours of November 19 thousands of meteors, or shooting
stars, will light up the night sky as they enter the atmosphere at
speeds of about 160,000 miles per hour.
"It is a natural fireworks display, a celestial spectacle," Professor
Mark Bailey, of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland, told Reuters
on Friday.
Known as the Leonids because they originate in the constellation Leo,
the meteor storm will occur in two bursts during the night of November
18 to 19.
Britain and Europe will have the best views for the first burst of the
shower that scientists predict will occur at about 10:50 p.m. EDT and
residents in North America are best placed to see the second barrage at
about 5:30 a.m. EDT.
"You have two components to the shower, two parts of the world that are
potentially able to observe it," Bailey added.
Although a full moon might dull the spectacle a bit, this year's storm
could be the biggest for the next 100 years, with 1,000 meteors per hour
trailing across the sky in the first burst and as many as 6,000 per hour
during the second.
"The U.S. is better off than we are but on the other hand a thousand in
an hour is probably more than most people see in a lifetime," Bailey
said.
METEORIC DEBRIS
Meteors are bits of rock and dust that hit the Earth's atmosphere, heat
up and glow. Most vaporize as they descend but some explode.
The Leonids are debris from the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. About every 33
years the comet returns to the inner solar system and releases materials
that form new dust trails that stretch from the comet many millions of
miles away.
The comet is due to return to the inner solar system around 2033 and
2066 but the meteor storms are not expected to be as spectacular.
"The Earth just happens to be going through this very fine trail of
meteoric debris. That trail that we run into at four in the morning on
Tuesday the 19th was emitted during its passage around the sun in 1767,"
Bailey said.
The trail the Earth will pass through during the second part of the
storm was emitted 1866.
Thanks to calculating techniques developed by David Asher, of the Armagh
Observatory, and Robert McNaught, of the Australian National University,
Bailey said meteor storm prediction has become more precise.
"If the weather forecast sounds like it may be vaguely clear, it will be
well worth it."
Meteor Storm Set to Dazzle Star Gazers
By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - Star gazers in Europe, Britain and North America are
in for a treat next week and have prime viewing positions for what could
be the biggest natural fireworks display of the 21st century.
During the early hours of November 19 thousands of meteors, or shooting
stars, will light up the night sky as they enter the atmosphere at
speeds of about 160,000 miles per hour.
"It is a natural fireworks display, a celestial spectacle," Professor
Mark Bailey, of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland, told Reuters
on Friday.
Known as the Leonids because they originate in the constellation Leo,
the meteor storm will occur in two bursts during the night of November
18 to 19.
Britain and Europe will have the best views for the first burst of the
shower that scientists predict will occur at about 10:50 p.m. EDT and
residents in North America are best placed to see the second barrage at
about 5:30 a.m. EDT.
"You have two components to the shower, two parts of the world that are
potentially able to observe it," Bailey added.
Although a full moon might dull the spectacle a bit, this year's storm
could be the biggest for the next 100 years, with 1,000 meteors per hour
trailing across the sky in the first burst and as many as 6,000 per hour
during the second.
"The U.S. is better off than we are but on the other hand a thousand in
an hour is probably more than most people see in a lifetime," Bailey
said.
METEORIC DEBRIS
Meteors are bits of rock and dust that hit the Earth's atmosphere, heat
up and glow. Most vaporize as they descend but some explode.
The Leonids are debris from the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. About every 33
years the comet returns to the inner solar system and releases materials
that form new dust trails that stretch from the comet many millions of
miles away.
The comet is due to return to the inner solar system around 2033 and
2066 but the meteor storms are not expected to be as spectacular.
"The Earth just happens to be going through this very fine trail of
meteoric debris. That trail that we run into at four in the morning on
Tuesday the 19th was emitted during its passage around the sun in 1767,"
Bailey said.
The trail the Earth will pass through during the second part of the
storm was emitted 1866.
Thanks to calculating techniques developed by David Asher, of the Armagh
Observatory, and Robert McNaught, of the Australian National University,
Bailey said meteor storm prediction has become more precise.
"If the weather forecast sounds like it may be vaguely clear, it will be
well worth it."
