“Draconids Meteor Shower: 2010 Might Produce Anything - Associated Content” plus 2 more

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• Draconids Meteor Shower: 2010 Might Produce Anything - Associated Content
• View the Lyrid Meteor Shower of 2011 - Associated Content
• Visible from Asheville area: Orionid meteor shower coming up - Asheville Citizen-Times

Draconids Meteor Shower: 2010 Might Produce Anything - Associated Content Posted: 24 Sep 2010 09:24 AM PDT Draconids meteor shower will make its appearance October 7 and 8, 2010, when the Earth passes through the dust from the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Although this particular meteor shower may not present a lot of meteor activity this year, it has been known to produce hundreds of meteors in an hour at times. The Draconids is best known for the meteor presentation of 1933, when more than 54,000 meteors streaked across the sky. It's been estimated there were over 6000 sent off each hour. Because it is always possible that we might get something exciting this year, I believe it is worth waiting for and watching. How Draconids meteor shower got its name The Draconids meteor shower makes its best presentation in the northern hemisphere. Its radiant point is nearly on top of the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon, and is highest in the northern sky as darkness approaches. Can we expect more than a few streaks of light and blaze in 2010? Most of the time, Draconids meteor shower sends just a few meteors an hour shooting through the sky. However, like any object in the universe, the only sure thing to expect is the unexpected. We might be treated to a steady stream of lights and flares. That is definitely worth waiting for. Sky conditions We are in luck with the Draconids meteor shower this year. The new moon is scheduled for October 7, promising darkened conditions for easy observation. One of the best parts is that activity occurs earlier in the evening, so no one has to stay up till after midnight to catch a glimpse or obtain a full view, of the meteor shower. Locating the Draconids meteor shower Look towards the north. The evenings of October 7 and 8 should present the opportunity to see these rather slow-moving, almost yellow meteors. Follow this link for an easy-to-read directional map. There may be activity on October 9, also, as the Earth moves on and leaves the Draconids behind till next year. Go here for a list of other meteors scheduled for 2010. Items needed 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: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

View the Lyrid Meteor Shower of 2011 - Associated Content Posted: 24 Sep 2010 02:11 PM PDT About the Lyrid Meteor Shower The Lyrid Meteor Shower is named after the constellation Lyra, as the meteors appear to be falling from the constellation. The debris that forms the Lyrid shower is dust from the comet C/1861 G1, known as Thatcher. This year, the Lyrid Meteor Shower will begin around April 16th and will continue through April 26th. The Lyrids will peak the night of April 21st through the morning of the 22nd. Other meteor showers, the Pi Puppids and Gamma Virginids will be active during the Lyrids peak, though you are unlikely to see anything from them unless you have a telescope as they are much smaller showers more suitable to expert astronomers. The Lyrid shower typically produces between 10 and 20 meteors per hour. While this is a relatively small shower compared to other annual showers, it is still significant. The Lyrids tend to leave an obvious dust trail that will be visible for a few seconds. Also, in the past, the Lyrids have been known to suddenly produce up to 100 meteors in one hour. The reason for this is unknown. Whether or not the Lyrids will turn from a shower into a storm in not predicted; we will just have to watch and see. Viewing the Lyrid Meteor Shower In 2011, the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower around midnight on the 21st of April. When the moon sets allowing a darker sky, more meteors will become visible. The best time for viewing them will be before the sun rises on the 22nd. If you are able to view the shower from a "dark" area, you will see more meteors. On April 22nd, you should set up while facing east. Around 3:00am, the shower show will really begin, and you should look directly up. You will not need a telescope to view the shower, though if you have one you will be able to see more meteors and their trails in greater detail. For a checklist of items to bring while viewing the Lyrids and how to stay safe while having fun, check out How to View Meteor Showers. Source: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=10115 http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/ http://www.theskyscrapers.org/meteors/ 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: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

Visible from Asheville area: Orionid meteor shower coming up - Asheville Citizen-Times Posted: 29 Sep 2010 01:36 PM PDT ASHEVILLE — Astronomers at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Rosman remind the public of the annual Orionid Meteor Shower in October. The Orionids are predicted to reach a peak of about twenty meteors per hour at noon Oct. 21. This shower generally lasts for about two days; so one should expect to see Orionids each morning from Oct. 20-22. Unfortunately, full moon is on Oct. 22 so it may be difficult to spot the fainter meteors in a bright moonlit sky. But, give it a try and look high in the east to find the meteors appearing to radiate out the area at the tip of the club of the constellation of Orion the hunter, near the feet of Gemini the twins. Binoculars or telescopes are not needed to observe meteors. What are The Orionids? Meteors result from particles of dust causing the atmosphere to glow as the particles enter the upper atmosphere of the Earth. The Orionid (pronounced Or-nid) meteors, or "Orionids," are associated with Comet Halley. This comet, undoubtedly the most famous comet of them all, has been observed at least since 240 BC. But it wasn't until 1705 that Edmund Halley realized that a number of bright comets that had appeared every 76 years throughout history were actually a single comet returning periodically as it orbits the Sun. As Halley's Comet revolves around the Sun, it gives off gases and dust particles due to the heat of the Sun. While the gases eventually are dispersed throughout space, the dust particles remain as a trail of debris in the path of the comet. Since the Earth encounters this trail of debris at the same point in space each time it makes its annual revolution around the Sun, we observe the Orionids on the same date each year, around October 21. As with all meteor showers, the Orionids are best observed between midnight and dawn from a clear, dark location with a good horizon. In 2010 About PARI PARI is a nonprofit foundation established in 1998. Located in the Pisgah Forest southwest of Asheville, NC, PARI offers educational programs at all levels, from K-12 through post-graduate research. The institute is affiliated with the 16-campus University of North Carolina system through PARSEC, a UNC Center hosted at PARI, and is a member of the NC Grassroots Museum Collaborative. For more information about PARI and its programs, visit www.pari.edu. 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: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

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