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Science/Tech See other Science/Tech Articles Title: Perseids Meteor Shower Continues Tonight Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight - Yahoo! News ... news.yahoo.com/s/.../strongmeteorshowerexpectedtonight : "....The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which rises high in the sky around midnight and is nearly overhead by dawn. Like most meteor showers, the hours between midnight and daybreak are typically the best time to watch, because that's when the side of Earth you are on is rotating into the direction of Earth's travels through space, so meteors are "scooped up" by the atmosphere at higher rates, much like a car's windshield ends the lives of more bugs than does the rear bumper. Astronomers expect up to 200 meteors per hour in short bursts of up to 15 minutes or so. But many of the fainter meteors will simply not be visible due to moonlight, and rates will go down even more for those in urban areas. More likely a typical observer under reasonably dark skies might hope to see a meteor every couple minutes when the bursts come, and fewer during lulls. When to watch The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn Wednesday. Forecasters say the best stretch could come between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET (1-2 a.m. PT), which would be after daybreak in Europe. Some Perseids might be visible late Tuesday night, and Wednesday night into Thursday morning could prove worthwhile, too. Meteor forecasting is still in its infancy, however, so the best bet for anyone truly hungry to spot shooting stars is to get in as much observing time as possible from around 11 p.m. Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday, and if you miss that show, try the same time frame Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. Meteors should be visible in the pre-dawn hours, weather permitting, all around the Northern Hemisphere. "Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream sometime on Aug. 12," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "Then, you could see dozens of meteors per hour." Viewing tips The best location is far from city and suburban lights. Ideally, find a structure, mountain or tree to block the moon. Then scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward, they'll all point to the constellation Perseus. People in locations where any chill might occur should dress warmer than they think necessary to allow for prolonged viewing. Seasoned skywatchers advise using a blanket or lounge chair for comfort, so you can lie back and look up for long periods. Allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. Then expect meteors to be sporadic: You might see two in a row, or several minutes could go by between shooting stars. Avid meteor watchers might want to try scanning the northeastern horizon from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. local time (your local time, wherever you are) for Perseids that graze the horizon. "Earthgrazers are meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond," Cooke explained. "They are long, slow and colorful – among the most beautiful of meteors." He notes that an hour of watching may net only a few of these at most, but seeing even one can make the whole night worthwhile. " =================== Meteor Showers - Meteors - Meteor Shower - August 2009 ... Aug 12, 2009 ... A site all about the meteor showers of 2009, meteors and more. www.meteorblog.com/ - 42 minutes ago : Aug 12th, 2009 by Meteor. Meteor Shower Perseids Meteor Shower August 12th & 13th The Perseids Meteor Shower is passed its peak but viewers can still see meteors this Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The Perseids will remain active until August 24th. For best results look towards the East/Northeast in a safe dark area free from man-made lights. Want to learn more about meteors? You can visit our Meteor Shower Viewing Page. For a summary of MeteorBlog’s Perseids Meteor Shower articles you can check out all of our August posts on the Perseids here. If that hasn’t satisfied your meteor cravings, then you can visit the Meteor Glossary. In the meantime bookmark our site and keep your head up! We will be covering all of the greatest meteor showers every month. 2009 Meteor Showers and Viewing Tips The next meteor shower is the Perseids on August 12, 2009. The shower peaks early afternoon on the 12th, so the morning of the 12th (midnight to dawn) and late evening are the best times to watch from the U.S....... 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......short [5 sec.] clip: stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/ Meteor Showers / For sky lights, put big city behind you Jul 23, 2009 ... Over the next few weeks, three meteors showers will converge, with the best shows expected July 28-30 and Aug. 12-13. ... www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ar...2009/07/23/SPKU18STNU.DTL
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 5.
#5. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#0)
Times like this I wish I owned a good telescope.
#7. To: farmfriend (#5)
We've had one for years and never could figure out how it worked. Times like this I kick myself I didn't buy the $15 one I saw in the drug store a few months ago.
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