Get ready for the Geminid's meteor shower, the years best!

[scubadude]

Dec. 8, 2009: Make hot cocoa. Bundle up. Tell your friends. The best meteor shower of 2009 is about to fall over North America on a long, cold December night.

"It's the Geminid meteor shower," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "and it will peak on Dec. 13th and 14th under ideal viewing conditions."

A new Moon will keep skies dark for a display that Cooke and others say could top 140 meteors per hour. According to the International Meteor Organization, maximum activity should occur around 12:10 a.m. EST (0510 UT) on Dec. 14th. The peak is broad, however, and the night sky will be rich with Geminids for many hours and perhaps even days around the maximum.

Lots more: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/08dec_geminids.htm

Scuba

[spanone]

1. yesterday?

[WilliamPitt]

2. "and it will peak on Dec. 13th and 14th under ideal viewing conditions."

RIF

[spanone]

8. rif-lol

[vadawg]

3. shit so its finally the end of the world

or its time to BBQ and watch the skies whilst drinking shine.....

[Tansy_Gold]

4. thank you for posting this

I live in one of those areas that often has superb viewing conditions but I never remember to check on when the meteor showers are. Thanks for the reminder!


TG

[ashling]

5. How come each one is billed as the best?

Is there an agent or a publicist to the stars? Gloria Allred? :shrug:

[scubadude]

6. There are 3 main showers that are "the best" for different reasons.

First, the Perseid's, peak on August 12/13th. They were running up to 120 meteors per hour, but of late the numbers have fallen off, and the trend seems to be consistent. They occur during the peak of summer so it is easy to watch them.

Then there are the Leonid's on November 17/18th. They are a bit of a wild card. The numbers vary widely. Approximately every 33 years there is meteor storm, and years near that 33 year peak may also be very good. For instance, in 1966 the rate was measured in thousands of meteors per hour. 1999, the supposed storm year was pretty good, with hundreds of meteors per hour, but for some unknown reason the previous year, 1998, had a great number of "fire balls", or meteors which break up into pieces as they fall.

Then there are the Geminid's, Dec 13/14th. This shower has been pretty consistent at over 100 meteors per hour, but of late the numbers have been increasing, to perhaps 140 meteors per hour this year, and who knows how many in as this shower grows.

Add to the above moon factor. Moon factor is simply how much the light of the moon obscures the viewing. This year was a really good one, with the Leonid's and the Gemini's with nearly a new moon. Next year, the Perseid's will be falling when there is a new moon, so they will be "the best", thanks to the moon obscuring the Leonid's and the Geminid's.

Hope this helps you understand why on a given year each of these 3 can be considered "the best".

Scuba

[ashling]

7. Thank you

I'm just sorry that you didn't get that my post was tongue in cheek. :hi:

[scubadude]

10. Quite all right, but I feel it did need explanation. nt

[ashling]

15. And I appreciate it

I have seen a few magnificent ones myself. :)

[kentuck]

9. I remember the meteor shower in '66

I was in basic training and standing in the chow line about 5:30 in the morning and I was watching these meteors fly by overhead. I was in awe. My jaw dropped. And nobody else seemed to notice...That's what I remember...

[scubadude]

14. It's funny about how something one person sees as important...

another totally ignores. There are only certain people who understand or appreciate our link with something larger. Those are the people I like, and the others I view as a challenge.

I'm the guy pointing in the middle of the street, pointing at sun-dogs, exclaiming look at that! You don't see those very often!

Scuba

[scubadude]

16. Just a little reminder, it's almost here... nt

[Brickbat]

11. Got the kids of up for the Perseids earlier this year, and while we saw a few, it was pretty slow.

Looking forward to the Geminids!

[scubadude]

13. I have memories of great Perseid's.

I remember holding my 2 year old son in my arms when he recognized his first meteor, eyes big, fingers tracing it's path among-st the stars....

Another time I planned a trip with a buddy to view the shower. We got our things ready and prepared to leave. At the last minute my son, who was now 7, insisted that he come along. This kid was a doll, there was no way me, or my buddy could refuse, so we all took the hour and a half ride down to the farm.

No sooner than we had settled in than my son wanted to go back home! Not knowing how the night would turn out I told him, "We're not leaving until we've seen ten meteors...." 1,2,3,...10, all within about 5 minutes! "Let's go home Dad", he whined. "No, that was just too fast son, how about 20 meteors?" "O.K. Dad, but then we gotta go home." 11,12,13... 20, in 5 more minutes....

Well, I kept procrastinating for another 35 minutes, upon which time we had all seen over 85 meteors!!... We went home after a total of about 45 minutes or so, and we were all happy with the night.

You never can tell about a night of meteor shower viewing. Like John Denver, I have seen it rainin' fire from the sky. You can't make up stories better than this. And to think we are made of meteors, we are made of star stuff.... These things can literally be magic...

Scuba



Scuba

[scubadude]

12. As a side note, it is interesting to note that...

John Denver, in his song "Rocky Mountain High" said "I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky". He was referring to an experience he had while on a mountain top in Colorado viewing the Persied meteor shower.

Great guy, great song, great meteor shower.

I guess Im a sort of meteor shower ambassador. For over 30 years I held a Perseids meteor shower party on the family farm. Perhaps 1000 people or more attended it over the years. Alas the farm is gone now, and I'm unemployed, so no big meteor shower parties for me at least in the near future,

If anyone is interested I'm going to try to punch a hole in the clouds for the Geminids this year. Drop me a message if you are in the Chicago area and would like to come along drop me a message.

Here's Rocky Mountain High, in video format. I love you John Denver, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwARpaKHx_w


Scuba

[Cetacea]

17. "Great guy, great song, great meteor shower." +1

Thanks for the reminder. I once held a similar "position" as you. :)