Witness a Meteor Shower: Griffith Observatory Sky Report

[Math Is Hard]

I just saw a very bright meteor streak across the sky. I thought someone was shooting off fireworks until I remembered this..

http://www.griffithobs.org/skyreport.html

This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, December 19. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The annual Geminid Meteor shower reaches its peak during the late night hours of Thursday the 13th through the predawn hours of Friday the 14th. The meteors (which can appear from anywhere in the sky) seem to come from the direction of Gemini the Twins, which is low in the east-northeast by 10 p.m., and nearly overhead by 2 a.m., before gradually sinking toward the west-northwest by dawn. The meteors can appear at the rate of one or two per minute. Rates are highest in dark wilderness areas (such as mountains or deserts), but as long as the air is clear, Geminids tend to be quite visible even from suburban locations. A reclining lounge chair and warm clothing are recommended for viewing comfort.

I want to go out and watch some more, but it's cold outside.

 

[Q_Goest]

I was just out, saw 3 of them shoot by!

SPECTACULAR!

 

[Math Is Hard]

I was just out, saw 3 of them shoot by!

SPECTACULAR!

Sweet!
I never expect to see very much in Los Angeles sky, so the one I saw caught me by surprise.

 

[yenchin]

I was in Bintan Island in Indonesia with groups of astronomy friends. Saw about 15+ if not 20 meteors. I was lucky enough to see one through a binocular

 

[Math Is Hard]

I was in Bintan Island in Indonesia with groups of astronomy friends. Saw about 15+ if not 20 meteors. I was lucky enough to see one through a binocular

Gosh - that sounds fun!

I was just reading a little more about the Geminid shower:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22252056/

The Geminids are thought of as rare because most meteor showers come from comets. But Geminids come from a near-Earth-object named 3200 Phaethon.

What do they mean by a "near-Earth-object" that is not a comet?

 

[yenchin]

3200 Phaethon is probably a "dead comet" in the sense that it no longer exhibit comet structure like coma or tail.

 

[mattmns]

Thanks for posting this MIH! I just finished a 6 hour drive tonight, and I knew I was seeing something up in the sky (I probably saw about 4 or 5 of them).

 

[BobG]

Gosh - that sounds fun!

I was just reading a little more about the Geminid shower:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22252056/


What do they mean by a "near-Earth-object" that is not a comet?

The source is an asteroid or a dormant comet. Asteroids are denser than comets and normally don't break up unless they've collided with something. Phaethon is less dense than an asteroid, but denser than a comet, so the thinking is that it might be a dormant comet that's accumulated a thick crust (an M&M comet ). http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast04dec98_1.htm

And what's wrong with cold weather. I like cold weather. Why, just yesterday morning, I was so moved by the weather that I flung my coffee cup 50yds across the street and broke into the Teaberry Shuffle. And well justified it was, since any day you're not rushed to the hospital with a 12 inch gash in the back of your head is a good day, indeed.

 

[George Jones]

I just saw a very bright meteor streak across the sky.

Meteors are cool! In 2001, I was in the right place at the right time to see a meteor storm.

I want to go out and watch some more, but it's cold outside.

Cold?

 

[hypatia]

Glad you got a chance to see one MIH, they are very cool.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Thanks for the explanation about Phaethon. I am glad to hear some others got to see the show.

And yes, by MIH standards, it was very cold! I put on a denim jacket and was still freezing.

 

[yenchin]

I was in Bintan Island in Indonesia with groups of astronomy friends. Saw about 15+ if not 20 meteors. I was lucky enough to see one through a binocular

Here's a http://epsilonuniverse.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/astrobash-xx-at-bintan/" of my trip.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Here's a http://epsilonuniverse.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/astrobash-xx-at-bintan/" of my trip.

Cool! I loved reading about your trip. Thanks for sharing that!

 

[hypatia]

That was a wonderful trip you took, what a great spot for a Astro Bash!