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by MarkGeldmeier

Last Post 17 days Ago


Leonid Meteor Shower...
Nov 15, 2006 | 12:04 PM
Category: Weather
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It might be snow that's falling late tonight (Wednesday), but this weekend...the sky will be falling! Okay, maybe not the whole sky...but thousands of pieces of space dust leftover from a passing comet. Yes, I'm an astronomy geek, but this is cool stuff!

I watched the Leonids in 2002, and counted 226 meteors in 1 hour!! That's my personal hourly record...and not as many are expected this year -- but you never know how much junk is floating around space!

The 2006 Leonid shower will peak on Saturday night / Sunday morning. You can expect to see a few large and bright "earth-grazers" during the evening...then the greatest amount of activity in the early morning hours 4am - 6am (Sunday the 19th).

The best way to look for meteors is to find a dark open field, lay down on the ground or a lounge chair and watch the sky (look in the East but also up high). Dress twice as warm and you think you need to! Plan to watch for at least 30 minutes to an hour. There will be periods of nothing and then some bursts of activity.

Of course, clouds would be a problem...so let's hope for clear skies!

-mark
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Member Comments Total Comments: 6
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Nailer read my blog view my photos
Nov 15, 2006 | 6:51 PM

Maybe you know why meteors don't make sonic booms?? No one else seems to know.
Z-man read my blog
Nov 15, 2006 | 6:57 PM

Nailer!!!! Thats a damn fine question!!! I would have never thought of that! But know I wonder too!!

I love Leonid Meteors!! especially in a light balsamic vinegar and them lil crunchy bread things!!
anaconda-dan read my blog view my photos
Nov 15, 2006 | 10:40 PM

Many meteors are the size of a grain of sand. The resulting shock wave isn't large enough to propagate very far. Larger meteorites, however have been known to produce a sonic boom...
Z-man read my blog
Nov 16, 2006 | 7:09 AM

As always Dan...you are a vast expanse of knowledge. And I mean VAST!
MarkGeldmeier read my blog
Nov 17, 2006 | 1:00 PM

I agree with Dan. Most meteors are tiny...and burn up high in atmosphere. The very rare meteors that have produced sonic booms, are much larger, brighter and often include fragments that hit the ground (meteorites). Multiple sonic booms could be produced if it breaks up in the air (one for each object).

Update: It looks like there are some clouds in the forecast for Saturday night. I'll plan on checking out the sky around 10:45pm for the peak (even though the constellation Leo will be below the horizon).
ChrisHiggins read my blog view my photos
Nov 18, 2006 | 9:49 PM

I'll tag on to what Mark has said...
I would love to be able to go out and see them myself, but I'm less than optomistic about the skies clearing out in time here in metro St. Louis. Much better shot if you head west of a line from about Troy (MO)...to Hermann...to Rolla. The low clouds just look like they will be around until around sunrise Sunday morning.
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MarkGeldmeier

I'm the Fox 2 "fill-in" meteorologist and a huge weather geek. This picture was taken in Bora Bora...a break from my studies while at the University of Hawaii.

Member Since: 11/15/2006


 

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