BajaNomad

Camelopardalids meteor shower this sat 24th

astrobaja - 5-21-2014 at 11:24 AM

NEW METEOR SHOWER ON EARTH AND THE MOON: Anticipation is building as Earth approaches a cloud of debris from Comet 209P/LINEAR. This weekend, meteoroids hitting Earth's atmosphere could produce a never-before-seen shower called the "May Camelopardalids" peaking with as many as 200 meteors per hour. The best time to look is on Saturday, May 24th, between 0600 UT and 0800 UT (2 a.m. and 4 a.m. EDT).




Earth won't be the only body passing through the debris zone. The Moon will be, too. Meteoroids hitting the lunar surface could produce explosions visible through backyard telescopes on Earth. The inset in this picture of an actual lunar meteor shows the region of the crescent Moon on May 24th that could be pelted by May Camelopardalids:




According to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, the best time for amateur astronomers to scan the Moon for lunar meteors is after 0800 UT (4 a.m. EDT) on May 24th.




There is much uncertainty about the strength of this shower, both on Earth and on the Moon. In recent history, our planet has never passed directly through a debris stream from Comet 209P/LINEAR, so no one knows exactly how much comet dust lies ahead. A magnificent meteor shower could erupt, with streaks of light in terrestrial skies and sparkling explosions on the Moon--or it could be a complete dud.

mtgoat666 - 5-21-2014 at 11:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by astrobaja
NEW METEOR SHOWER ON EARTH AND THE MOON: Anticipation is building as Earth approaches a cloud of debris from Comet 209P/LINEAR. This weekend, meteoroids hitting Earth's atmosphere could produce a never-before-seen shower called the "May Camelopardalids" peaking with as many as 200 meteors per hour. The best time to look is on Saturday, May 24th, between 0600 UT and 0800 UT (2 a.m. and 4 a.m. EDT).

Earth won't be the only body passing through the debris zone. The Moon will be, too. Meteoroids hitting the lunar surface could produce explosions visible through backyard telescopes on Earth. The inset in this picture of an actual lunar meteor shows the region of the crescent Moon on May 24th that could be pelted by May Camelopardalids:

According to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, the best time for amateur astronomers to scan the Moon for lunar meteors is after 0800 UT (4 a.m. EDT) on May 24th.

There is much uncertainty about the strength of this shower, both on Earth and on the Moon. In recent history, our planet has never passed directly through a debris stream from Comet 209P/LINEAR, so no one knows exactly how much comet dust lies ahead. A magnificent meteor shower could erupt, with streaks of light in terrestrial skies and sparkling explosions on the Moon--or it could be a complete dud.


perhaps the cenozoic will end this weekend, eh?

StuckSucks - 5-21-2014 at 04:02 PM

Great to know. My wife and I are camping this weekend in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine - we should experience very little light pollution.

If necessary, I'm prepared to duck, really really fast.

bajabuddha - 5-21-2014 at 04:27 PM

I will be firmly embedded in my camping chair w/pillow, whiskey in hand, gazing skyward and chanting my omnipresent Mantra: "Oh PLEASE let one hit Glen Canyon Dam... Oh PLEASE let one hit Glen Canyon Dam" ...
(My apologies to those down-stream, unless rigged and ready to row like hell)

StuckSucks - 5-21-2014 at 05:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajabuddha"Oh PLEASE let one hit Glen Canyon Dam.


Cool - surfing the Colorado River.

bajabuddha - 5-21-2014 at 05:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by StuckSucks
Quote:
Originally posted by bajabuddha"Oh PLEASE let one hit Glen Canyon Dam.


Cool - surfing the Colorado River.

It really IS cool; I've known a few crazed rats to boogie-board Westwater Canyon (about 40 miles west of Grand Jct. CO) and THAT'S JUST NUTZ. But Domini Falls? Now that would be sumpin'!
:coolup:

David K - 5-21-2014 at 05:16 PM

Should we go to our underground bunkers? :D

redhilltown - 5-21-2014 at 11:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Should we go to our underground bunkers? :D



Like in that Twilight Zone episode?? ;D

Bob H - 5-22-2014 at 09:42 AM

This would be starting at 11pm Friday night on the West Coast, right?

astrobaja - 5-22-2014 at 09:59 AM

right Bob, of course its only a best guess

bajabuddha - 5-22-2014 at 02:05 PM

... and when you nod-off and fall forward out of the lawnchair and awaken, you'll see there's a ring around Uranus!!
:lol: :wow: :rolleyes:

astrobaja - 5-24-2014 at 12:00 PM

well the Camelopardalids were pretty much a bust!!! Saw more satellites than actual meteors!

El Jefe - 5-24-2014 at 01:22 PM

Went out on the patio at 2:30 am and laid around nekkid under a zillion stars. That was fun, but saw not one meteor.