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Catch (Watch) A Falling Star

Posted by Hemos on from the go-outside-for-once dept.

tkrotchko writes "The first meteor shower of the year peaks early tomorrow morning. The Lyrid Meteor shower started April 16th but peaks Sunday morning between 2 AM and 5 AM. MSN has a good overview of the Lyrid, but if you intend on watching, astronomy.com has a map showing you exactly where to look. My experience with meteor showers in the past has been hit or miss; most are a bust, but occasionally, there are some pretty spectacular showers."

36 comments

  1. 10:30 Local Time Around the World? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1
    The shower's radiant lies in the constellation Lyra the Harp and is well-placed for the northern hemishere after 10:30 p.m. local time.
    And local time would be where... ?
    1. Re:10:30 Local Time Around the World? by rjmunro · · Score: 1
      Could it be local time wherever you are?

      The whole point in local time is that different parts of the earth face the same part of the sky at different times (mainly that they all face the sun at mid-day). Therefore, the meteor shower will always be directly above at 2am.

      I am only guessing here, though!

  2. Re:perhaps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Awww, he's funny. He needs to learn to be more subtle about his karma whoring though, I agree.

    Something like "Hit and miss, eh. That explains a lot," would have been _much_ better. Karma whoring is a fine art. You need to sound just the _slightest_ bit trollish, and naughty. Moderators love that. Don't overdo it, and +3, Funny should be flying your way in no time. Watch that Karma soar, suckas!

  3. Re:Help by Glytch · · Score: 2

    You can get a registration code for Opera by filling out this form, like the rest of us who want to support good commercial software on Linux.

  4. See them ANY time by kzinti · · Score: 3

    My experience has been that you can see meteors pretty much any time of year... given a few conditions:

    Clear skies. (Duh.)

    Dark skies. Get well away city lights. View during a new moon, before moonrise, or after moonset.

    Patience. Take a blanket and a pillow with you. Throw them on the ground and get comfortable. Give your eyes a good twenty minutes to get fully accustomed to the dark. Keep watching the sky. "Widen" your vision: be sensitive to your peripheral vision.

    There are many minor showers that occur throughout the year. My experience has been that if it's dark and clear, and you're patient you can see shooting stars pretty much any time.

    My grandparents once lived in rural Alabama. After family visits to their farm, while the womenfolk said their goodbyes, I would go outside with my Dad and Grandad, and we'd just watch the skies. On almost every occasion, we'd be seeing meteors within ten minutes of watching, and the longer we watched, the faster they'd come.

    Don't wait for a meteor shower. Get out now and watch.

    --Jim

    1. Re:See them ANY time by Betelgeuse · · Score: 1

      True. You can see meteors any time of the year, but there are the most during the "meteor shower" periods (since we're usually going through the tail of the comet that allows the debris to crash into the atmosphere and cause the shower). In our light-polluted society, meteor showers are often the only time for a large portion of the population to see meteorites.

      --
      I couldn't tell if you were experimenting with poor-man's cryogenics or looking for the orange sherbet.
  5. First shower of the year? by Joe+MacDonald · · Score: 3

    Has nobody heard of the Quadrantids? Usually peaking either January 4th or 5th, it's one of the best of the year, usually hitting a peak rate between 40 and 60 meteors an hour.

    Okay, not the most convenient (the Perseid's have that one locked up) for the northern hemisphere crowd, but don't write them off just 'cause you don't want to get your butt frozen off.

    --
    -Joe
    1. Re:First shower of the year? by mgarraha · · Score: 1

      I like the Geminids around December 13. They are as plentiful as the Quadrantids, and their radiant, the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate, is overhead before midnight. Most other showers (Lyrids included) are best viewed in the wee hours. My personal highest rate of meteors observed per hour was during a Geminid shower. Summer haze often messes up the Perseids for me.

      Details about these and other showers are on Gary Kronk's meteor calendar.

  6. The constellation, duh... by Kenshin · · Score: 1

    It's the local time of Lyra the Harp. Don't you know anything?

    Of course, now we just need to figure out their time time difference from GMT...

    --

    Does it make you happy you're so strange?

  7. Re:astronomy.com by au3 · · Score: 1

    Same here, 4.76 Win98se.

    BTW, whatever happened to 4.76 on Netscape's site? They offer everything up to 4.75...

    -AU

  8. astronomy.com by hal9000 · · Score: 1

    The (ASP) site breaks my Netscape.
    Anyone else? (4.76, Debian packages)

    --
    Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
    1. Re:astronomy.com by hal9000 · · Score: 1

      I know ASP wouldn't break Linux Netscape (wretched browser it is...), I only mentioned it because most ASP sites I've viewed don't care about Linux compatibility.
      If it were PHP. for instance, it would be less likely to break my Linux browser because PHP is more popular among Linux hackers (and ASP is not very popular at all among hackers period).

      --
      Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
    2. Re:astronomy.com by hal9000 · · Score: 1

      Mozilla works good !

      Are you on crack?!

      --
      Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
    3. Re:astronomy.com by zhensel · · Score: 2

      The fact that it's ASP doesn't break anything. I've coded ASP (admitedly not my platform of choice, but I'll take that over static) and tested it in IE, Netscape, lynx, opera, konquerer, whatever on many platforms. It's just plain old bad HTML design. Go run it through one of the online html debuggers at w3c or something and see what the offending tag is.

  9. Netscape/Mozilla by hal9000 · · Score: 1

    I use both (no, really I do!) and I can tell you that on both my work and home computers (both beefy), Nutscrape is loads faster than Mozilla. I like Mozilla, and used to use it exclusively. But then one lonely day I tried Netscape again and was pretty surprised at how fast it was. 4.76 has taken care of most of the previous 4.7x bugs too.

    I think Netscape is ugly (and I really hate the widgets), and I think Mozilla is purdy. But I'll take functionality over eye candy for now.

    Sincerely, Netscape-using, AC-replying idiot.

    --
    Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology; Ain't got time to make no apology
  10. Take out a satelite by BierGuzzl · · Score: 1
    I wonder how often a satelite gets hit by one of those suckers... and if they buy insurance to cover that possibility.

    It's stuff like that that makes you think twice about becoming an astronaut. Course, if you're thinking along those lines, willing to strap yourself to what basically amounts to a bomb just to get a new perspective on this world, you're too damned crazy to worry about the occasional meteor shower.

    1. Re:Take out a satelite by pavonis · · Score: 1
      I wonder how often a satelite gets hit by one of those suckers... and if they buy insurance to cover that possibility.

      Just about never, and yes. These are rather small objects we're seeing in a meteor shower; they amount to little more than a high concentration of dust. So the problem for satellites is very rarely one of getting hit by a big rock- the sky would have to be a lot more crowded than it is for that to be more than a freak accident- but the gradual accumulation of microscopic hits. An old satellite has a pitted, dirty appearance. Usually the most important effect of this is a decrease in the effectiveness in the solar panels.

  11. Re:Light pollution by antiwesley · · Score: 1

    Actually, living in the Milwaukee-Chicago corridor, and being an amateur astronomer, it's been a partial issue for me. We went out and watched the Lyrids last night, and the lights from the nearby cities were to the east, the Interstate to the west, and Milwaukee to the north. The radiant was high enough that it was above the light pollution overall. But the light pollution was still bad. (The shower was the average, we only saw about 25 meteors in 3 1/2 hours) It's just a shame that people are too worried about crime and feeling safe that something like this is being forgotten. Chalk it up for another minority being squashed into the ground over mass stupidity.

    --
    "A Geek for all Times!" - Dave Adler, PMEB mailing list, 3/14/99
  12. Hmmm... by zpengo · · Score: 3

    CmdrTaco's first shower of the year peaks early tomorrow morning. His shower started April 16th but peaks Sunday morning between 2 AM and 5 AM. MSN has a good overview of the shower, but if you intend on watching, kuro5hin.org has a map showing you exactly where to look. My experience with CmdrTaco's showers in the past has been hit or miss; most are a bust, but occasionally, there are some pretty spectacular showers."

    --


    Got Rhinos?
  13. Falling Star by BiggestPOS · · Score: 1

    Wouldn't that be almost anyone on a show on The WB?

    --
    What, me worry?
  14. Re:Help by Arcanix · · Score: 1

    What gives them to right to charge for software? Damn right wing fascists.

  15. A shower? by HerrGlock · · Score: 1

    Is it Wednesday already?

    And me without any soap.

    DanH
    Cav Pilot's Reference Page

    --
    Cav Pilot's Reference Page
    UNIX - Not just for Vestal Virgins anymore
  16. Re:woah by bob_jenkins · · Score: 1

    Is the expression "Woah, bad acid!!!" specific to Carnegie Mellon students from around 1986? Or did it ever catch on beyond that?

    Here's how I remember it. Someone in Pittsburgh was handing out children's stick-on tattoos laced with LSD and some other evil stuff that caused, hum, I think it was comas. After that the phrase "Woah, bad acid!!!" showed up in chalk on sidewalks for awhile. It meant having something bad happen to you after (because of) doing something stupid. For example, it's an appropriate thing to say when your code crashes because you dereferenced a null pointer.

  17. Re:I'd like to, but... by YetAnotherDave · · Score: 1

    um, where exactly is that a weather report for???

  18. Always a splendid sight... by interactive_civilian · · Score: 2

    Nothing like a good meteor shower to brighten your evening. I usually don't have a lot of luck with the Lyrids, but I have spotted a few over the past few nights (in FL).

    My best luck is with the Perseids shower which is in August, IIRC. Nothing like seeing that from the top of a mountain in Colorado a few years ago.

    Anyway, this is good stuff. Any of you code-hackers that plan to be awake tonight, or exam-studiers, or graveyard shift workers, etc. I highly suggest taking a little break this evening and stepping outside. (I personally will be having an intermission in the Cowboy Bebop marathon I am having tonight for this).

    "Falling stars like jewels flung across the sky..." (author?)

    Take care all. No matter what you are doing or what problems you may have or what is on your mind, take a few minutes and bask in the beauty of the universe this evening.

    Ok, I'll stop being a sap now. Back to your regularly scheduled Slashdot.

    --
    "Empathise with stupidity, and you're halfway to thinking like an idiot." - Iain M. Banks
    1. Re:Always a splendid sight... by AndroidCat · · Score: 2

      Nothing like a good meteor shower to brighten your evening. I usually don't have a lot of luck with the Lyrids, but I have spotted a few over the past few nights (in FL).

      My best luck is with the Perseids shower which is in August, IIRC. Nothing like seeing that from the top of a mountain in Colorado a few years ago.

      I've always wanted to watch the night in Australia and watch the Moon go across the sky upside down and backwards.

      To hell with watching which way the toilet flushes!

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    2. Re:Always a splendid sight... by mkarpinski · · Score: 1

      "I highly suggest taking a little break this evening and stepping outside. (I personally will be having an intermission in the Cowboy Bebop marathon I am having tonight for this)."

      I agree completely --- We spend so much damn time in front of our computers, that we miss the world around us. Space is where our collective future lies. We should start paying attention.

      --
      As below, so above and beyond, I imagine drawn beyond the lines of reason. Push the envelope. Watch it bend.
  19. Light pollution by ageitgey · · Score: 1

    Do those of us in a big city have any hope of seeing something like this? Is our only option to drive 50 miles away? I'd really like to watch, but it looks like daylight out my window right now (and its night time).

    --
    Uninnovate - Only the finest in engineering.
  20. Re:I'd like to, but... by zhensel · · Score: 1

    Kansas City

  21. I'd like to, but... by zhensel · · Score: 2

    This forecast from a local TV station site doesn't instill much confidence -

    Tonight: showers and thunderstorms likely. Some thunderstorms may be severe with heavy rainfall. Low 60 to 65. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southeast. Chance of rain 70 percent.

    I suppose there could be a gap in the clouds. Maybe I could just break out my cache of fireworks. Or if the thunderstorms are that severe I could commemorate Ben Franklin (which I kind of did by accident a few days ago with a charged capacitor from a camera flash... wups).

  22. Best meteor showers in early July by FKell · · Score: 1

    I have personally found that the best showers are usually in early July (4-11). They usually can be seen in the eastern sky (that is if you are located in North West Hemisphere). Best locations for seeing these would be either along the coast (away from large cities). This helps cut down on most light sources that would otherwise inhibit you from seeing the faint light trails that are caused by the entry into the atmosphere.

  23. Re:Help by scorcherer · · Score: 1

    Where the fsck did you get a copy? All I can see on opera.com is a beta 7, though that seems to work fine.

    --

    --

    --
    The Cap is nigh. Time to get a fresh new account.

  24. Re:Help by Feces+Thrower · · Score: 1
    142301-f3-ces-2301-4ur-ass-f1rst-459271-fec4l-p000 st

    __________________________

    --

    Feces Thrower

  25. Ouch! by sllort · · Score: 1

    "My experience with meteor showers in the past has been hit or miss"

    Jesus. The "hits" would explain a lot, dude. My advice: bullet proof glass. LOTS of bullet proof glass.

    Where do you live, the moon?

  26. Re:Help by shobadob · · Score: 1
    Well, arcanix, the U.S. Government gives them that right. The economy wouldn't do well if companies gave their products away.

    I have Opera 5.1 for Windows(free version), and I don't see how removing the banner ad would improve browsing. There would just be empty grey space. Paying money or searching the web for a hack or serial code would not be useful if removing the ad doesn't improve things.

  27. Cowboy Bebop (Re:Always a splendid sight...) by vortmax(OU) · · Score: 1

    So, just out of curiosity, was this a personal marathon, or with a group? My animation society is showing the first 4 episodes this week, and I'm looking forward to it (I've never seen it before). Anyway...



    ---

    Bored? I promise nothing...

    --


    Cole's Axiom: The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant. The population is growing