Meteor 'Outburst' Expected Friday Morning
Meteor 'Outburst' Expected Friday Morning
Peter JenniskensPrincipal Investigator, SETI InstituteSPACE.com
Thu Aug 11,10:00 AM ET
For as long as records exist, the Perseid meteor showers have always been strong. This summer's Perseid shower will be exceptional. The moon is mostly out of the way later in the night, and higher-than-normal activity rates are expected over the United States.
...For now, a nice outburst is projected for Aug. 12, 2005, at 08:18h UT (= 04:18 EDT and 01:18 PDT), when Earth will encounter the dust ejected in the return of 1479. Rates can go up four fold to about 240 per hour on top of the 80 per hour annual activity, for a brief period of time (approximately 1.2 hours).
In addition, rates may increase again around 13h UT, when Earth is slated to encounter the Filament component, rising to less than 86 per hour on top of normal, annual activity. That Filament is older dust presumably in mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. ...
Settle down, meteors!
Peter JenniskensPrincipal Investigator, SETI InstituteSPACE.com
Thu Aug 11,10:00 AM ET
For as long as records exist, the Perseid meteor showers have always been strong. This summer's Perseid shower will be exceptional. The moon is mostly out of the way later in the night, and higher-than-normal activity rates are expected over the United States.
...For now, a nice outburst is projected for Aug. 12, 2005, at 08:18h UT (= 04:18 EDT and 01:18 PDT), when Earth will encounter the dust ejected in the return of 1479. Rates can go up four fold to about 240 per hour on top of the 80 per hour annual activity, for a brief period of time (approximately 1.2 hours).
In addition, rates may increase again around 13h UT, when Earth is slated to encounter the Filament component, rising to less than 86 per hour on top of normal, annual activity. That Filament is older dust presumably in mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. ...
Settle down, meteors!
posted by Frank at 4:35 PM
3 Comments:
GC sent me an email the other day about another astronomical event that is coming up. This is what is says:
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that
will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in
recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is
in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on
Mars and disturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be
certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth
in the last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as
60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when
Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and
will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9
and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest
75-power magnification
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye .
Mars will be easy to spot. At the
beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10 p.m.
and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are
closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its
highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m . That's pretty
convenient to see something that no human being has
seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at
the beginning of August to see Mars grow
progressively brighter and brighter throughout the
month.
NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN .
Havent seen Mars as yet, but I get a nice view of Venus very late at night and early morning. That in itself is wonderful, as I live in the city and there are lights everywhere all the time.
"Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye."
"NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN."
If I see Mars looking as large as the full moon, I'll run away (from fear)to the horizon, and then jump off the planet. Even if I am the Raven. We probably all will, which would explain quote #2.
Venus really has been spectacular lately, hasn't it? It always looks amazing when it's next to the moon, too!
Yeah, When I used to live in MA, I would see Venus so clearly on my way to work each morning. It was a perfect start to the day. Kinda claming I guess, I dont know why though.
Miss those days.
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