space.com | Nature’s Own New Year Fireworks | SETI | By Peter Jenniskens | SETI Institute | posted: 03 January 2008 06:29 am ET | …by way of Sue P (thanks Sue 
“If all goes to plan, my research colleagues and I will have front row seats to spectacular New Year fireworks. These are not the artificial bangs and whistles that shoot a few hundred yards into the sky, but the awe-inspiring impact of cosmic dust moving at astronomical speeds. These bits of comet dust travel through space faster than Santa’s sled, spanning the distance from Los Angeles to New York in a mere minute and a half. When they hit Earth, the impact of a grain of sand shines so brightly it can be seen for hundreds of miles around. They are called “meteors.”
This has potential to be an intense meteor shower - it’s currently very clear (and cold) here and the weather is supposed to stay pretty clear for a couple of days.
Time with best potential for a great show is around 4:30 am tomorrow morning. If I can roust myself up and out into the freezing cold pre-dawn I’ll try to get some photographs.
SPACE.com
- Cassini Spots Icy Jet Sources on Saturn Moon Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 7:20 am
Cassini spots sources of icy plumes on Enceladus. - The Storied History of the Word ‘Planet’ Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 7:20 am
The word “planet” has meant many different things over the millennia and even still its definition is evolving. - Milky Way’s Halo Loaded with Star Streams Wednesday, 20 August 2008, 7:20 am
Sloan Digital Sky Survey results ID smaller stellar streams and dwarf galaxies in Milky Way’s halo.
- RH
0 Responses to “Meteor Shower”