August 2010 | Meteor

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

“Dinosaurs wiped out by meteor shower lasting ages - New Kerala”

Dinosaurs wiped out by meteor shower lasting ages - New Kerala

Posted: 30 Aug 2010 07:24 AM PDT

London, Aug 30 : Dinosaurs may have been wiped out from the earth 65 million years ago by a meteor shower which lasted thousands of years, according to new evidences.

Scientists had identified a giant Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico as the site of a single meteor strike thought to have obliterated prehistoric life on earth.

But evidence for a second impact in Ukraine, dating back thousands of years before the Chicxulub impact, has raised the possibility that the dinosaurs may have been blitzed with a shower of meteorites, The Telegraph reported.

The Boltysh Crater in Ukraine was first discovered in 2002. But experts have unearthed a second cavity within the crater which they believe was caused by the aftermath of the Chicxulub impact - suggesting that the two meteor strikes occurred years apart as part of a wider "shower".

Scientists dated the two Boltysh impact zones by examining the pollen and spores of fossil plants in the layers of mud within.

Ferns are among the first plants to colonise a devastated landscape after a catastrophe, leaving layers of spores - dubbed "fern spikes" - which are considered good markers of past impact events.

The researchers found a second "fern spike" one meter above the first in the Boltysh crater - suggesting that two separate strikes occurred thousands of years apart.

"We interpret this second layer as the aftermath of the Chicxulub impact. It is quite possible that in the future we will find evidence for more impact events," said Simon Kelley of the Open University, who co-authored the study.

Monica Grady, a meteorite expert at the Open University, said the shower could have been caused by "the collision of Near Earth Objects".

The US space agency NASA has recently launched a programme "Spaceguard" which aims to monitor such Near Earth Objects as an early warning system of possible future collisions.

The new findings are published in the journal Geology by a team lead by Professor David Jolley of Aberdeen University.

--IANS

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Monday, August 30, 2010

“Dinosaurs Killed by Thousand Year Long Meteor Shower - Gather.com”

Dinosaurs Killed by Thousand Year Long Meteor Shower - Gather.com

Posted: 30 Aug 2010 07:16 AM PDT

Were the dinosaurs killed by an ice age? A meteor shower? Aliens? A new study shows that dinosaurs were likely killed by a meteor shower, but not one that sent a few rocks to earth. The meteor shower that killed the dinosaurs lasted thousands of years.

Previously, scientists believed that a single meteor strike killed the dinosaurs. The giant Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico is usually regarded as the site of the dino-killing meteor strike, but an impact crater in the Ukraine is making scientists rethink their meteor shower theory.

The Telegraph reports that the crater in the Ukraine, the Boltysh Crater, predates the Chicxulub crater by thousands of years. A new crater which was found inside the Boltysh Crater, has led scientists to believe that the meteor shower that killed the dinosaurs was not a one time occurrence, but a shower that spanned over thousands of years.

Whether one or hundreds of meteors killed the dinosaurs, will continue to be debated, but in the meantime, NASA has developed a program to make sure that we don't meet the same fate. The SpaceGuard program keeps a watchful eye on the sky in an attempt to give us early warning of a meteor impact.

But as of now, detection is the only part of the SpaceGuard program that has been completely fleshed out. Deflecting a meteor is another problem entirely, and the only answers to that problem are coming from Hollywood.

Please provide details below to help Gather review this content. If it is found to be inappropriate and in violation of the Gather Terms of Service, action will be taken.

Please select the part of the post you are reporting.
Please select why you are reporting this content.
Please enter a description.

You have successfully submitted a report for this post.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Sunday, August 29, 2010

“Perseid meteor shower probably won't pelt spacewalking astronauts, says NASA - The Christian Science Monitor” plus 2 more

Perseid meteor shower probably won't pelt spacewalking astronauts, says NASA - The Christian Science Monitor
NASA to hold chat Thursday about perseid meteor shower - WAFF
Perseid meteor shower over Porterville - Ksee24.com

Perseid meteor shower probably won't pelt spacewalking astronauts, says NASA - The Christian Science Monitor

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 07:37 AM PDT

The Perseid meteor shower poses minimal risk to spacewalking astronauts trying to repair the International Space Station, and might even offer them a spectacular show.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight, promising dazzling fireball displays to lucky skywatchers, but the cosmic rain of space rocks hasn't endangered space station astronauts during their spacewalk repairs this week, a NASA scientist says. In fact, the meteor shower may give the astronauts a show too.

Astronomer Bill Cooke, a meteor expert with NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office, said the Perseid meteor shower adds a small amount of risk to astronauts on spacewalks (about 15 percent), but the chances of being hit by a tiny meteoroid from the shower are slim.

"The risk is still below the risk posed by orbital debris and other factors," Cooke told SPACE.com from the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

IN PICTURES: Perseid meteor shower

Currently, there is a 1-in-300 chance of a piece of orbital debris damaging the space station or hitting a spacewalking astronaut. Compared to that, the slight risk increase from the Perseids is negligible.

A meteoroid about 1 millimeter in size is large enough to damage an astronaut's spacesuit during a spacewalk, Cooke said. But NASA spacewalk planners take the micrometeorite environment into account when scheduling excursions, he added.

There are six astronauts living aboard the International Space Station; three Americans and three Russians.

The crew is in the middle of a challenging set of four spacewalks to repair the space station's cooling system. One of two vital ammonia coolant pumps failed July 31 and station astronauts are tackling the tricky job of replacing the oven-sized part with a spare. They performed spacewalks on Saturday and Wednesday, with the next one set for Monday.

If the space station astronauts are lucky, they may be able to see meteors from above as they soar 220 miles (354 km) above the Earth's night side. In the past, astronauts have been able to record video of meteors from space during shuttle missions.

"You can definitely see meteors, and it's kind of cool," Cooke said.

This sky map shows where to look to see the meteor shower. Skywatchers on Earth can use SPACE.com's planet alignment map to find and identify planets that are appearing together at the same time as the meteor shower.

During the Perseid meteor shower, the Earth is pelted by remains of the Comet Swift-Tuttle as the planet passes close to the comet's orbit. Material left behind by the comet rams into the Earth's atmosphere during the pass at about 37 miles per second (60 km/second), creating an annual show of "shooting stars" every mid-August.

One of the reasons the Perseids don't post a major risk to astronauts on the space station is because, astronomically speaking, astronauts are rather small, Cooke said.

"When you look up in the sky, you see about 10,000 square-kilometers," Cooke said. "An astronaut's surface area is about 1 square-meter, he's not a very big target."

The space station, too, is small compared to the entire night sky, Cooke added. Still, the $100 billion International Space Station is the largest spacecraft every built in space and has a main truss as long as a football field. It can easily outshine Venus on clear nights and be seen by the unaided eye.

Cooke plans to stay up all night tonight to observe the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. The Marshall Space Flight Center is planning to stream live views and from its all-sky cameras in Alabama and Georgia via the Internet, he added.

"It's NASA's first up-all-night," he said.

IN PICTURES: Perseid meteor shower

NASA's live Perseids meteor shower show begins Thursday night at 11 p.m. ET and runs through 5 a.m. ET Friday.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

NASA to hold chat Thursday about perseid meteor shower - WAFF

Posted: 12 Aug 2010 09:04 AM PDT

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Thursday and Friday are the days when you should be able to see a show in the sky with perseid meteor showers.

If forecasters are correct, the shower should produce a peak display of at least 80 meteors per hours. A waxing crescent moon will set before the shower becomes active, setting a perfect stage for meteor watching, weather permitting, of course!

On Thursday, Aug. 12, from 2-4 p.m. CDT, astronomer Bill Cooke from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center will answer your questions about the Perseids and the best ways to view it. Joining the chat is easy. Click here a few minutes before 1:00 p.m. A chat window will be active at the bottom of the page. Log in, then Bill will start answering your questions at 2:00.

More About the Perseids

The Perseids have been observed for at least 2,000 years and are associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. Each year in August, the Earth passes through a cloud of the comet's debris. These bits of ice and dust -- most over 1,000 years old -- burn up in the Earth's atmosphere to create one of the best meteor showers of the year. The Perseids can be seen all over the sky, but the best viewing opportunities will be across the northern hemisphere. Those with sharp eyes will see that the meteors radiate from the direction of the constellation Perseus.

More About Chat Expert Bill Cooke

The head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, Dr. Bill Cooke specializes in the meteoroid environment and its effects on space vehicles of all sorts. While a graduate student at the University of Florida, he worked on instruments flying onboard balloons, the Space Shuttle, Giotto (European mission to Halley's Comet), and the Long Duration Exposure Facility.

After obtaining his PhD, he came to work at Marshall Space Flight Center as a member of the Space Environments Team. When not occupied with meteor observations and shower forecasts, he dabbles as a free- lance author for magazines and is a mentor for the Team America Rocketry Challenge and NASA's Student Launch Initiative rocketry programs.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Perseid meteor shower over Porterville - Ksee24.com

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 08:51 PM PDT

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 250 Characters Left

</p> <p class="disclaim">KSEE 24 NEWS and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.</p> <input type="submit" value="Submit" class="submit"/></form> </div><p><em>This entry passed through the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/">Full-Text RSS</a> service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php">fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php</a><br /><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org">Five Filters</a> featured article: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://medialens.org/alerts/10/100720_peace_envoy_blair.php">"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent</a>.</em></p><br><br><img src="http://thm-a01.yimg.com/nimage/1eed56f1411a82f0" alt="image">

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Saturday, August 28, 2010

“Venus, Saturn, Mars and a crescent Moon followed by the Perseid meteor shower - Examiner” plus 2 more

Venus, Saturn, Mars and a crescent Moon followed by the Perseid meteor shower - Examiner
Viewing the 2010 Perseid Meteor Shower - WRAL
Cascade Lake and the Perseid Meteor Shower - Associated Content

Venus, Saturn, Mars and a crescent Moon followed by the Perseid meteor shower - Examiner

Posted: 12 Aug 2010 04:03 AM PDT

Just in from NASA

"You know it's a good night when a beautiful alignment of planets is the second best thing that's going to happen.

Thursday, August 12th, is such a night.

The show begins at sundown when Venus, Saturn, Mars and the crescent Moon pop out of the western twilight in tight conjunction. All four heavenly objects will fit within a circle about 10 degrees in diameter, beaming together through the dusky colors of sunset. No telescope is required to enjoy this naked-eye event: sky map.
The planets will hang together in the western sky until 10 pm or so. When they leave, following the sun below the horizon, you should stay, because that is when the Perseid meteor shower begins. From 10 pm until dawn, meteors will flit across the starry sky in a display that's even more exciting than a planetary get-together.
The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. Every 133 years the huge comet swings through the inner solar system and leaves behind a trail of dust and gravel. When Earth passes through the debris, specks of comet-stuff hit the atmosphere at 140,000 mph and disintegrate in flashes of light. These meteors are called Perseids because they fly out of the constellation Perseus.

Swift-Tuttle's debris zone is so wide, Earth spends weeks inside it. Indeed, we are in the outskirts now, and sky watchers are already reporting a trickle of late-night Perseids. The trickle could turn into a torrent between August 11th and 13th when Earth passes through the heart of the debris trail.

2010 is a good year for Perseids because the Moon won't be up during the midnight-to-dawn hours of greatest activity. Lunar glare can wipe out a good meteor shower, but that won't be the case this time.
As Perseus rises and the night deepens, meteor rates will increase. For sheer numbers, the best time to look is during the darkest hours before dawn on Friday morning, Aug. 13th, when most observers will see dozens of Perseids per hour." (MORE)

Time to Visit Atlanta's Fernbank Science Center Planetarium

Kid friendly and inexpensive ~ at 11 a.m. every Saturday morning (except December) the Atlanta Fernbank Science Center presents a program in their Planetarium called "The Sky Tonight". Presented live by a Fernbank astronomer, this is a guided tour through the constellations, planets and events in the current evening sky.

Why not take the kids to see and hear what the astronomer has to say about the ongoing drama in the night sky.

If you live in the Atlanta area, Basic astrology classes and study groups will begin in the Fall.
Sign up here to be notified.

For Basic Astrology Articles ~ Click Here.
Recommended Reading for Beginners ~ Click Here.

To follow the Atlanta Astrology Examiner as she examines life on this small planet scroll to the top of this article, and click on SUBSCRIBE. Your e-mail address will not be shared! If there is someone or something you'd like Patricia to write about send your ideas to askpatricia@comcast.net.

Patricia Lantz is a practicing astrologer and hypnotherapist living in Atlanta Georgia. Want to know more about Patricia? For a complete bio visit www.astrology-hypnotherapy.com. Then call or write for a free pre-session consultation ~ (678)-763-0552 or email lifescript@comcast.net. Patricia is also the Astrology Editor for All Things Healing, an online community for spiritual and healing practices.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Viewing the 2010 Perseid Meteor Shower - WRAL

Posted: 12 Aug 2010 11:48 AM PDT

Today (August 12, 2010) is the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower. These meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, but you don't need to know how to find Perseus to see them.

After checking the latest weather forecast to be sure the sky won't be too cloudy, choose a site away from city lights with an open view of the sky. Lie back in a sleeping bag or reclining chair and look toward the darkest part of your sky.

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, are the brief streaks of light created when cosmic debris interacts with Earth's atmosphere. The Perseids occur around the same time each year when Earth runs into debris left over from Comet Swift-Tuttle.

If the weather permits, please join Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for our skywatching session Thursday, August 12, 2010, from 9-11 p.m., at Jordan Lake, Ebenezer Church Recreation Area. Any decision to cancel will be posted at the Morehead Web site around 4 p.m. – please check before you head out.

Although before midnight is not the best time to see the most meteors, the ones we do see may be spectacular, traveling long paths over several seconds. (Near the beginning of the session, we'll also view a fairly compact trio of planets – Venus, Mars, Saturn – and the nearby crescent Moon.)

To see the most Perseids, you'll want to go out after midnight, when Perseus is higher in the sky and you're on the leading edge of Earth as it travels through space. If skies are clear, the single best hour will likely be Friday morning, August 13, during the last dark hour before dawn – about 4 to 5 a.m. From a site that's not too light polluted, expect to see up to 60 meteors an hour. Urban stargazers will be lucky to see more than 20.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Cascade Lake and the Perseid Meteor Shower - Associated Content

Posted: 28 Aug 2010 07:19 AM PDT

Cascade Lake, near the Adirondack hamlet of Eagle Bay, is an easy hike on a well-maintained trail. It is perfect for families with school-aged children to enjoy back packing in a wilderness area. Just over a mile from

Big Moose Road, the north shore of this lake has a small sandy beach that is great for a swim on a warm summer's day.

For those a bit more ambitious, a trail of about five miles circles the lake. Cascade Falls is on the east end of the lake. These falls have a granite vertical face perhaps 50 feet high and 80 feet wide, with the falls generally a trickle only a couple of feet wide in the center of this cliff. While a small section of trail near the falls is slightly hilly, and usually a bit wet, most of the trail is quite easy. This lake is a popular destination, sometimes up to several dozen people a day. However, once the sun goes down, chances are you would have the lake nearly to yourself with the quiet solitude increasingly difficult to find in today's world.

By mid August, the woods are eerily quiet, with birds only occasionally singing. The maniacal call of the loon or a barred owl's hoots may break the silence during the night. During the day, insects humming provide a barely perceptible background noise. The silence is occasionally broken by muffled road traffic, small planes with pontoons on aerial tours of the region for tourists, and Eagle Bay's noontime siren. However, the general silence is a welcome respite from the much noisier urban world.

Viewing the Night Skies

The north shore of this mountain lake is a great spot for viewing the night sky away from city lights. Around August 12, the annual Perseid Meteor Shower usually provides one of the best meteor showers of the year. Cloudy skies may, of course, frustrate viewing a meteor shower or night skies at times.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Friday, August 27, 2010

“Dedham Police: Argument over meteor shower viewing ends with stabbing - Daily News Transcript” plus 1 more

Dedham Police: Argument over meteor shower viewing ends with stabbing - Daily News Transcript

Posted: 27 Aug 2010 03:05 PM PDT

Police said they arrested Kayla Miconi, 39, of Flintlocke Lane for on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after she stabbed a man in the shoulder during an argument on Friday night, Aug. 13.

Police were sent to her address at 8:50 p.m. after getting a report about a stabbing, Lt. Robert Nedder said. While en route, dispatch said that the woman involved in the stabbing, Miconi, had fled the scene and was walking up Greenlodge Street, and Officer Michael McMillan indeed saw her walking there, Nedder said.

McMillan got out of his car and Miconi shouted, "I had to defend myself. I told him I was going to stab him," Nedder said. McMillan then handcuffed her, according to the police report.

When Officer Keith Kennedy arrived at the home, he saw a man walking in the driveway whose shirt had been soaked in blood, Nedder said. Kennedy saw a stab wound on his left shoulder, and Sgt. Richard Keane found the knife inside the residence, Nedder said.

The victim said that Miconi began arguing with him, then got violent and "hit him with the knife," Nedder said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, he added.

Miconi, who smelled of alcohol, insisted that she was defending herself, Nedder said. She said the man was supposed to go watch a meteor shower with her but didn't, they argued, she got nervous he was going to get physical, and defended herself with the knife, Nedder said. But that was just one of the stories she told an officer, Nedder said.

She was also charged with attempt to commit a crime, murder, intimidating a witness, and domestic assault and battery, Nedder said. She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Dedham District Court Aug. 16, and is due back there for a pretrial hearing Sept. 10, he said.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Perseid meteor shower close to peaking - msnbc.com

Posted: 12 Aug 2010 04:13 PM PDT

SEATTLE - With clear conditions Thursday night, you will have a chance to see one of the most dependable meteor showers of the year - the Perseids.

The shower is already producing 25 meteors an hour. It should peak early Friday morning with rates of up to 75 meteors per hour.

University of Washington astronomers say the shower happens every August as the Earth intersects the orbit of dust particles left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet.

The best view of the Perseids is found away from city lights. They will likely be more visible after midnight Thursday, looking generally to the east or northeast.

Incidentally, Thursday evening just at dusk, you'll likely be able to see the planets Venus, Mars, Saturn and Mercury clustered close together in the low western sky.

The UW Astronomy Department website has more tips for viewing the Perseids: http://www.astro.washington.edu/users/balick/perseids.html

NASA has set up a live video/audio feed of the Perseids shower: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/perseids_2010.html

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Sunday, August 22, 2010

“Perseid meteor shower to light up the sky this week - Beaumont Enterprise”

Perseid meteor shower to light up the sky this week - Beaumont Enterprise

Posted: 11 Aug 2010 06:38 PM PDT

This summer's greatest show won't cost you any money.

And to see it, all you need to do is look up.

Tonight and Friday nights, the Perseid meteor shower will peak, producing about 80-100 meteors per hour. When the moon sets in the early morning is likely the best time, weather permitting, to catch a few meteors.

According to NASA, the Perseids are one of the best meteor showers of the year and are associated with the Swift-Tuttle comet, which orbits the sun once every 133 years, leaving behind a trail of debris.

Every August, the Earth passes through a cloud of the comet's debris. That causes 1,000-year-old bits of ice and dust to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. The best display will be across the northern hemisphere, according to the NASA Chats blog. The meteors will radiate from the direction of the constellation Perseus.

Subscribe for home delivery.

Add web reporter Beth Rankin as a friend on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

“Meteor shower will wow gazers overnight - CNN” plus 1 more

Meteor shower will wow gazers overnight - CNN

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 12:13 AM PDT

Meteors fill the sky in this long-exposure shot of the sky over Nevada during the Perseid meteor shower in August 2008.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Perseid meteor shower peaks early Friday morning
NASA will host live web chat during the show
Best viewing is in Northern Hemisphere
The Perseids have been observed for at least 2,000 years

Share your meteor-watching experiences and images on CNN iReport.

NASA chat Web page: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/perseids_2010.html

(CNN) -- There's still time to charge that laptop and brew some coffee before the Perseid meteor shower peaks predawn Friday.

OK, it's easy to understand why the coffee will come in handy during the long watch overnight. But the laptop?

Meteor gazers can join a NASA live chat with astronomer Bill Cooke. The Marshall Space Flight Center astronomer will answer questions beginning around 11 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday.

NASA also is broadcasting live the hums of the meteors as they whiz by.

With a waxing crescent moon expected to set beforehand, and hence less moonlight in the way, forecasters are expecting one of the best celestial shows of the year, weather in your neighborhood permitting.

With good viewing conditions, stargazers might be able to catch at least 40 meteors per hour, Space.com said.

"The August Perseids are among the strongest of the readily observed annual meteor showers, and at maximum activity nominally yields 90 to 100 meteors per hour," Space.com columnist Joe Rao said in his column. "Anyone in a city or near bright suburban lights will see far fewer."

NASA advises viewers that "the Perseids shower will begin around 10 p.m. YOUR local time. However, the best times to view are after midnight and before dawn, with the best activity around 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. local time. Best conditions are a clear, dark sky away from city lights. Go outside and look straight up at the sky."

The Perseids can be seen all over the sky, but the best viewing opportunities will be across the Northern Hemisphere. Those with sharp eyes will see that the meteors radiate from the direction of the constellation Perseus.

The Perseids have been observed for at least 2,000 years and are associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 133 years, NASA says. Each year in August, the Earth passes through a cloud of the comet's debris. These bits of ice and dust burn up in the Earth's atmosphere to create one of the best meteor showers of the year.

Perseid Meteor Shower Draws Desert Fans - KESQ News

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 10:00 AM PDT

PALM DESERT -- Star-gazers had their eyes glued to the sky overnight Thursday for one of the most stunning meteor showers of the year, the Perseid Meteor Shower.Astronomers were expecting to see between 60 and 100 meteors each hour between midnight and around 4 in the morning.Click here for more information on where to look for the Perseid Meteor Shower in the sky The meteor shower is made of debris from the Swift-Tuttle Comet burning up in the Earth's atmosphere, creating a meteor shower in the northern hemisphere.People around the desert stayed up late last night to watch the eye candy.The shower is visible in mid-July each year, but the peak activity usually falls between August 9 and 14 depending on the particular location of the stream.This year's viewing was made even more spectacular by the crescent moon, which made it darker for people to see the meteors.The Perseid Meteor Shower has been observed for about 2,000 years.

Friday, August 20, 2010

“Perseid Meteor Shower Time Lpase Video - Katu.com”

Perseid Meteor Shower Time Lpase Video - Katu.com

Posted: 20 Aug 2010 11:32 AM PDT

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 250 Characters Left

</p> <p class="disclaim">KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traffic Weather and Breaking News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.</p> <input type="submit" value="Submit" class="submit"/></form> </div><p><em>This entry passed through the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/">Full-Text RSS</a> service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php">fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php</a><br /><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://fivefilters.org">Five Filters</a> featured article: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://medialens.org/alerts/10/100720_peace_envoy_blair.php">"Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent</a>.</em></p><br><br><img src="http://thm-a01.yimg.com/nimage/1eed56f1411a82f0" alt="image">

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

“Perseid meteor shower to light up the sky this week - Beaumont Enterprise”

Perseid meteor shower to light up the sky this week - Beaumont Enterprise

Posted: 11 Aug 2010 06:38 PM PDT

This summer's greatest show won't cost you any money.

And to see it, all you need to do is look up.

Subscribe for home delivery.

Add web reporter Beth Rankin as a friend on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

“Perseid Meteor Shower Draws Desert Fans - KESQ News”

Perseid Meteor Shower Draws Desert Fans - KESQ News

Posted: 13 Aug 2010 10:00 AM PDT

Monday, August 16, 2010

“Perseid Meteor Shower Lives Up to Its Promise - msnbc.com”

Perseid Meteor Shower Lives Up to Its Promise - msnbc.com

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT

The 2010 Perseid meteor shower lived up to its promise of a meteor per minute just before dawn today, providing an excellent celestial spectacle for people around the globe who had dark and clear skies.

"In Iran, the Perseid meteor shower was great," Mohammad Reza Zaman Sani told Spaceweather.com.

Another observer, Anthony in Florida, was one of several who noticed that the meteors sometimes came in bursts. "There would be a few minutes of nothing, then 1, 2, 3 in a row," he said, writing (without his last name) on Meteorobs, a website that tracks meteor observations.

"We had a nice show in Norway even though the sky was still not completely dark," said Runar Sandnes on Spaceweather.com. "Meteors came sometimes in showers of 2 or 3."

The Perseid meteor shower is caused by ancient debris left by multiple orbits around the sun of the comet Swift-Tuttle. They name comes from the fact that the meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which was high overhead just before dawn. The meteors all streaked away from that point of origin, called the radiant. A few non-Perseids, called sporadic meteors, were also observed on totally different trajectories.

"I counted 20 Perseids in a 20-minute period starting at 4:10 a.m," said Robert Roy Britt, SPACE.com editor in chief. "Most were faint, but two were as bright as Jupiter, leaving brief vapor trails that marked their path."

Jupiter presided over the annual event, hovering high in the southern sky as the brightest object in the early morning sky.

Britt observed the shooting stars from reasonably dark skies at the north edge of Phoenix. There were bursts of up to a half dozen meteors in a two-minute period and lulls that lasted up to four minutes, he said.

Though never the grandest of events, like the 2001 Leonid meteor storm, the Perseid shower is known for being reliable, and also for the occasional bright fireball, or bolide -- an exploding meteor. Other observers reported fireballs in recent days. The Perseids began in late July, peaked last night and this morning, and will continue but tail off over the next several days.

If you missed the peak of the shower, late tonight into early Saturday morning offers another opportunity, experts say. While the number of meteors will drop off significantly, a patient observer with dark skies could see several meteors per hour in the predawn Saturday. Those in urban or suburban areas will see far fewer.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now