Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Geminid Meteor Shower

Posted by michael on from the stardust dept.

Target Practice writes "Is it an asteroid? Is it a comet? Who cares? According to Sky and Telescope's website, 3200 Phaethon has been spewing chunks into our atmosphere for the past 150 years, and tonight, after the lan party, you can step outside at two or three A.M. and see the best light show yet - topping off at 75 meteors per hour! Be there..." Space.com has another story.

7 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. i fell for that last time by thnmnt · · Score: 5, Funny

    yeah, 75 per hour. right, like i'll fall for that again! i was the shmuck standing around at 5am for the leonids only to see maybe 10.

    find some other chump.

    --
    Go read some bible: nubible.com
  2. 1.4 yr long orbit, interesting by peculiarmethod · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm no astronomer, but isnt it interesting in the least that the orbit is so close to earths with such a similiar length in orbit? Should not the trajectory/composition/dating be studied for maybe relevance in say, the formation of the moon or other interesting local phenomena?

    pm

    --
    ** "It's not my job to stand between the people talking to me, and the ones listening to me." -- Pego the Jerk
  3. Re:Hmm by garcia · · Score: 5, Informative

    it's growing awareness. The news would barely report it. *IF* they did it was a small blurb by the weather man or some other meaningless non-sense.

    Now we have news.google.com and www.slashdot.org to tell us every last thing that happens that is of importance to dorks...

  4. Some more info by maggard · · Score: 5, Informative
    Just to be a bit more realistic we're talking about one trail per minute or so. While that's nice to see when laying on one's back next to someone you like, or just for the thrill of it if you're into astronomy, it's not enough to get most folks off their couches. Considering also it's mid-winter in the northern hemisphere the viewership is likely somewhat limited.

    As to "are there more of these?" Nope. We have had a few spectacular shows in the past few years but nothing statistically unusual or anything more then wider reporting and slightly more accurate predictions.

    Usual tips apply: Get out of the city, away from parking-lot lights, hills help block glare, let your eyes adjust, remember that a clear sky is COLD, binoculars are useless for this but entertaining for looking at other things like nebula and Jupiter's moons, look up online for tips regarding astrophotography and no your camera flash won't help...

    --
    I don't read ACs: If a post isn't worth so much as a nom de plume to its author then I wont bother either.
  5. After the LAN party? by DeadMoose · · Score: 5, Funny

    after the lan party, you can step outside at two or three A.M.

    Two or three AM? What kind of wimpy LAN parties do you have?

  6. Peak time by pandrel · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to the Article Peak activity is projected around 4 a.m. EST (1 a.m. PST) with ideal dark-sky conditions, at least 60 to 120 Geminid meteors can be expected to burst across the sky every hour. They will be hitting Earth's Atmosphere at 22 miles per minute.. Insane..

  7. light pollution SUCKS by io333 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I remember when the orange streetlamps started to be installed in the 70's. Before that, all streetlamps were of the bluish variety and gave very little light pollution. I have no idea why they all use orange ones now, I guess they are cheaper? I think the orange ones are called "sodium vapor."

    I wish we could go back to blue, or at least redesign the orange ones so that they don't shine so much light into the sky. I remember as a kid looking up and seeing the milky way. Now I'm lucky if I manage to see Jupiter through the orange haze.

    Three or four years ago, the head of the planetarium and observatory in Bradenton, FL was arrested while shooting out streetlamps near the observatory with a shotgun. I totally understand that guy. He was just fed up.