Heavenly Meteor Freak Out

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Diarise 13 - 17 November ‘06 for Leonids Meteor Shower Forecast
The word meteor comes from the Greek word ‘meteoron’which means “a thing in the sky.” Neat huh? Nice to know that the even the Greeks lapsed into inarticulate generalisation to describe things they lacked knowledge about!

NASA say, “Each day as many as 4 billion meteoroids, most miniscule in size, enter earth’s atmosphere. Most of these meteors burn up from atmospheric friction and never reach the ground. Only a few larger and more dense meteors reach the earth’s surface and make an impact”.

We are predicting that the Leonid meteor showers will begin from 13th November. People in UK will be able to witness nightly meteor showers that will hopefully peak at approx 07:45am opn the 17th at a rate of about 40 meteors per hour on 17th November 2006. The faintest of meteors should be visible to you. The meteor showers will be coming from the direction of the constellation Leo after midnight. The meteors eminate from a comet called Tempel-Tuttle that can only be seen around our skies once every 33 years. Earth crosses the orbit of comet Tempel-Tuttle every November so allowing us to see the Leonid meteor showers.

The Leonids meteors travel rather quickly. They are known to reach speeds of over 158,000mph or approx 254,000kph. This is pretty quick! But if you think the November meteor showers will be fantastic to witness, you better hold on to your hollyhocks because during December you will see something that will absolutely freak you out.

Yes, from 6th December out of the Gemini constellation, the gods will put on what is considered the best meteor shower. Not only this, but it is also going to be in glorious technicolour.

This Geminid shower is expected to peak on 13 th December 2006 at 8:45pm

Find a good location: Make sure you have a good view of the sky in the direction of the shower. A location away from city lights with no glaring lights is best. It takes about 10 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Even glancing at a bright light can affect your ability to see dim meteors. Remember, though, during meteor showers, the meteors can appear from any part of the sky, not just the radiant point. So, make sure your have a wide view of the sky, including the radiant location.

Weather: Be aware of the weather conditions forecast for your area. An overcast sky will mean a disappointing and fruitless search, and watching the sky while shivering in the cold is not fun!

Comfort: Make yourself comfortable. You will be looking up into the sky for an extended time, and craning your neck upward for long periods while standing or sitting upright will be very uncomfortable. A blanket on the ground or a reclining lawn chair is best. If it is summer, remember the mosquito repellent and cool drinks. If it is winter, dress warmly and take along an extra blanket to snuggle under. Temperatures that would feel comfortable when you’re active are very chilly when you are lying or sitting still. Your favorite music, refreshments, and relaxed conversation all contribute to an enjoyable evening.

For your eyes only: You don’t need a telescope or binoculars, in fact these would make it more difficult. Just locate the constellation that contains the meteor shower’s radiant point, relax, and enjoy the show!

From NASA comes this data about the next big meteor to hit earth:

Based on known impact craters and their age, this chart shows how often differing strength impacts have occurred in the past. Unfortunately, the past may not be a very good indicator since we really don’t know when the earth may encounter new objects yet unseen.

Though we are watching for future impact hazards, no one has a clear and proven method for preventing one even if we knew it was coming. Hopefully, future studies will find an answer to detect and prevent such a devastating collision.

Heavenly Technicolor Meteor Freak Out