Geminid Meteor Shower: Look Up After 10 PM EST Tonight

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the Geminid meteor shower, with participants sharing their anticipation, experiences, and observations related to the event. The conversation includes aspects of weather conditions, viewing experiences, and some technical details about meteor showers.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express excitement about the meteor shower, noting that the nearly full moon may wash out some visibility but still expect to see numerous meteors.
  • Others share humorous anecdotes about checking the weather and the challenges of viewing the shower due to cloud cover and rain.
  • A participant provides a technical explanation of meteor showers, mentioning that they occur when Earth passes through the remains of a comet's tail and referencing the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.
  • One participant describes a successful viewing experience, noting the clarity of the night sky despite some light pollution and cloud cover.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a sense of anticipation for the meteor shower, but there are differing views on weather conditions affecting visibility. Some express optimism about viewing opportunities, while others report unfavorable weather.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention varying local weather conditions, including cloud cover and rain, which may impact the ability to view the meteor shower. There is also a humorous reflection on the evolution of weather checking from going outside to using the internet.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in astronomy, meteor showers, or casual outdoor activities may find this discussion engaging.

Jimmy Snyder
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Look up after 10 pm EST tonight and be sure to duck lest you get one of these grains of sand in your eye. The nearly full moon will wash out some of it, but still you should get 40 streaks an hour. I'm really looking forward to it, as we haven't had a shower in months.
 
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Jimmy Snyder said:
I'm really looking forward to it, as we haven't had a shower in months.
I spend a month in the shower once a year and I'm good for the next 11.
 
Oh thanks Jimmy, it's raining here!
 
Evo said:
Oh thanks Jimmy, it's raining here!
Got a cloud-deck that is not quite solid enough to block off the Moon, but is surely thick enough to block off meteors.
 
Evo said:
Oh thanks Jimmy, it's raining here!
Just as well. I'm afraid one would land on your head and break your toe.
 
Jimmy Snyder said:
Just as well. I'm afraid one would land on your head and break your toe.
At least I could get out a yelp first! Now it will just be THUD..HISSSSSSS
 
Crud, I just got online to see what weather is like outside. It is mostly cloudy out.

I can't even remember what we did before we had the internet.
 
Ivan Seeking said:
Crud, I just got online to see what weather is like outside. It is mostly cloudy out.

I can't even remember what we did before we had the internet.
We didn't know there was a meteor shower until 3 months later when you noticed a comment in Scientific American asking if anyone had seen it.
 
  • #10
Evo said:
We didn't know there was a meteor shower until 3 months later when you noticed a comment in Scientific American asking if anyone had seen it.

I meant to check the weather.
 
  • #11
Ivan Seeking said:
I meant to check the weather.
You could check the weather? When I was young, you went out the front door...
 
  • #12
Evo said:
You could check the weather? When I was young, you went out the front door...

Oh yeah. I just look online now.

Honestly, one day I caught myself getting online to see if it was raining outside.
 
  • #13
Ivan Seeking said:
Oh yeah. I just look online now.

Honestly, one day I caught myself getting online to see if it was raining outside.
Our local forecast is so bad that whatever they forecast, you know it will be the opposite. No snow in the forecast=blizzard.
 
  • #14
Ivan Seeking said:
Honestly, one day I caught myself getting online to see if it was raining outside.
According to the internet it's 52F, with scattered clouds, 80% humidity, winds E at 4pmh, here.
No mention of meteors.
 
  • #15
zoobyshoe said:
According to the internet it's 52F, with scattered clouds, 80% humidity, winds E at 4pmh, here.
No mention of meteors.

Here it is 25F and cloudy, with rain and snow expected until June.
 
  • #16
The major meteor showers occur at the same time every year. They are caused by the Earth passing through the remains of a comet's tail.

Meteor shower

The current infestation is caused by an asteroid that calls itself 3200 Phaethon, known by its friends as simply Phaethon, discovered by Fred Whipple (his brother George was stock boy for our local grocery store before he was fired for damaging the goods. There is no record of Fred ever being fired for squeezing an asteroid). According to the official astronomical website Wiki, Phaethon approached to 18.1 Gm (that's Mm with a G) of Kansas on December 10, 2007. It will draw nearer in 2017, 2050, 2060, and closer still on December 14, 2093, passing within 0.0198 AU (3.0 Gm). This last pass is most disconcerting since by then Evo will be too old to get out of its way.
 
  • #17
From Southern California: I just stepped out on the patio and cranked my neck back to look as straight up as I could. Very clear viewing night despite the full moon, urban light contamination and a few small cloud wisps.

Took less than a minute to catch a beauty! Strong solid orange streaker that ran directly overhead from south to north. I could actually watch it travel. I ran a quick replay in my head and figured it must have been a good two seconds or more. Cool!
 
  • #18
Awesome. Never knew one could see meteor showers that far back into the past.
 

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