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NASA Predicts A Good Year For Perseids

Posted by timothy on from the there's-a-limit-on-those-things dept.

xCepheus writes "According to this article on NASA's website, the year 2004 will be a good one for the annual meteor shower known as the Perseids. Quoth the article, 'This is a good year for Perseids, for two reasons, explains Bill Cooke of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. First, the Moon is new in mid-August; moonlight won't spoil the show. Second, in addition to the usual shower on August 12th, there might be an extra surge of meteors on August 11th caused by a filament of dust newly drifting across Earth's orbit.'"

3 of 15 comments (clear)

  1. I've always wanted to see this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I live in the los angeles area and it is pretty tough to even see 5 meteors during the apex of a meteor shower. Maybe it will be somewhat easier this year because of the lack of moonlight.

    After this, does anyone know when the next meteor shower will pass by? An astronomy hobbyist would love to know.

  2. Lunar Eclipe more interesting than meteor showers? by xmas2003 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Jeeez ... 8 hours after posting the article ... and *5* comments ... I guess /. just isn't too interested in meteor showers?!?

    For those that are interested in space stuff, I have some nifty Lunar Eclipse Pictures from last year and some Colorado Aurora Borealis ... but sorry, nothing as cute/funny as the "farmer story" above from AC ;-)

    --
    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
  3. POP go the meteors? by PhilHibbs · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If you live in a quiet area, then please listen out for a pop about 11 seconds after each streak. About 20 years ago, we had just returned from holiday in the small hours of the morining of the Perseid shower. We all heard a distinct sound, as of distant gunfire, 11 seconds after each meteor. We wrote to Patrick Moore, and he insisted that there could be no such sound, yet we heard it clearly and reliably.

    Post back here if you hear it.