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Related: About this forumLyrid meteor shower and Saturn’s rings to light up night sky this weekend
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/lyrid-meteor-shower-and-saturns-rings-to-light-up-night-sky-this-weekend/2012/04/19/gIQASfbVUT_blog.html
Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 04/20/2012
Lyrid meteor shower and Saturns rings to light up night sky this weekend
By Steve Tracton
Sky watchers (such as me) are in for a rare treat this weekend. Sky conditions permitting, the annual Lyrid meteor shower peaks with the best observing between midnight and dawn Saturday night/Sunday morning. But thats not all, celestially speaking. Saturn is just a week from opposition (i.e., directly opposite the sun with Earth in between) such that Saturns rings are at an optimal angle for viewing - even with a small telescope as the planet rides high in the sky. Saturn doesnt reach opposition again until 2017.
What makes this weekend especially exciting (though not likely to make a difference for viewing Saturn) is that it coincides with a new moon - unlike all the major meteor showers in late 2011, which were virtually drowned out by bright moonlight. So exceptional is the coming weekend that NASA scientists say that if you have to choose just one night in April to go out and look at the stars, it should be April 21 (see NASA video).
Should weather conditions hinder the view from your favorite outdoor location, do not despair (Ill explain later).
The Lyrids are usually a modest shower, featuring 10 to 20 meteors per hour. However, they are known for uncommon and unpredictable surges that can sometimes bring the rate up to 100 per hour, as well as an occasional especially brilliant fireball. One can argue that not knowing what to expect from the Lyrids makes it more enticing to watch rather than risk the disappointment of missing a great show.
<snip>
Posted at 10:45 AM ET, 04/20/2012
Lyrid meteor shower and Saturns rings to light up night sky this weekend
By Steve Tracton
Sky watchers (such as me) are in for a rare treat this weekend. Sky conditions permitting, the annual Lyrid meteor shower peaks with the best observing between midnight and dawn Saturday night/Sunday morning. But thats not all, celestially speaking. Saturn is just a week from opposition (i.e., directly opposite the sun with Earth in between) such that Saturns rings are at an optimal angle for viewing - even with a small telescope as the planet rides high in the sky. Saturn doesnt reach opposition again until 2017.
What makes this weekend especially exciting (though not likely to make a difference for viewing Saturn) is that it coincides with a new moon - unlike all the major meteor showers in late 2011, which were virtually drowned out by bright moonlight. So exceptional is the coming weekend that NASA scientists say that if you have to choose just one night in April to go out and look at the stars, it should be April 21 (see NASA video).
Should weather conditions hinder the view from your favorite outdoor location, do not despair (Ill explain later).
The Lyrids are usually a modest shower, featuring 10 to 20 meteors per hour. However, they are known for uncommon and unpredictable surges that can sometimes bring the rate up to 100 per hour, as well as an occasional especially brilliant fireball. One can argue that not knowing what to expect from the Lyrids makes it more enticing to watch rather than risk the disappointment of missing a great show.
<snip>
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Lyrid meteor shower and Saturn’s rings to light up night sky this weekend (Original Post)
bananas
Apr 2012
OP
bananas
(27,509 posts)1. NASA video: ScienceCasts: A Wonderful Night in April
chervilant
(8,267 posts)2. I'm so bummed...
I didn't see a single one last night...
eppur_se_muova
(36,262 posts)3. Total overcast in N AL. nt