Sunday, April 21, 2013
The first major meteor shower since January began Wednesday and will last until this coming Friday.
The Lyrid showers have been thrilling stargazers for some 2,600 years with the magnificent display usually peaking on April 22. According to AccuWeather, meteorologists are monitoring sky cover this week for the viewing possibilities of the Lyrids, the first major meteor shower since early January.
The shower should be visible from April 16 - 26, peaking during the predawn hours of Sunday, April 21, and Monday, April 22. While the Lyrids average 10 to 20 meteors an hour, AccuWeather's Mark Paquette said in a press release that there is potential for significantly more. "It is unpredictable," Paquette said. "Sometimes lyrids have 'surges' which can break up the rate to near 100 per hour." Paquette said that the Lyrids, named for their …
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Check out when's the best time to watch it and where to look. Hint - it's early morning Jan. 4, when the moon sets. That is for the astronomy enthusiasts willing to go the extra-mile and stay up late for a spectacular - and natural - fireworks show.
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Wednesday, January 2
The Quadrantid meteor shower is named for an extinct constellation, but the shooting stars that seem to sprout from it still arrive yearly, and the opening of the 2013 show will begin overnight Jan. 1 into Jan. 2. Where do you plan to try watching the Quadrantids meteor shower in Dunwoody and the aurrounding area? Tell us in the comments section below. The Quadrantids is one of the lesser-known meteor showers of the year, but that doesn't mean it's less than spectacular. Take a look at this Quadrantids meteor shower video or these pictures of the Quadrantids. While the shower begins overnight on the first day of the new year, NASA tells us Quadrantid meteor shower peaks in the wee morning hours of Jan. 4: "[T]he Quadrantids have a maximum …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, is on its way. And here are some tips for viewing the celestial show.
The Geminid meteor shower 2012, the final major meteor shower of every year and likely to be the best, peaks overnight Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, and you may be able to see a great show on either side of those dates. If you liked the Orionids meteor shower 2012 in October, you should love this sky show. NASA reports that the Geminids are a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sightings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over the decades the rates have increased, regularly spawning between 80 and 120 per hour at its peak on a crystal clear evening. How spectacular is it? Just take a look at this video of the Geminid meteor shower. You can also look at some spectacular photos of the Geminids. Tips for best viewing …
Sunday, December 9, 2012
The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, is on its way. Here are some tips for viewing the celestial show.
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Sunday, December 9, 2012
The Geminid meteor shower 2012, the final major meteor shower of every year and likely to be the best, peaks overnight Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, and you may be able to see a great show on either side of those dates. If you liked the Perseids meteor shower 2012 in August, you should love this show. NASA reports that the Geminids are a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sightings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over the decades the rates have increased, regularly spawning between 80 and 120 per hour at its peak on a clear evening. How spectacular is it? Just take a look at this video of the Geminid meteor shower. You can also look at some spectacular photos of the Geminids. Tips for best viewing Earthsky.org …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Viewers should be able to observe around 80 "shooting stars" per hour during this year's peak on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
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Saturday, August 11, 2012
The Perseid Meteor shower—an annual show of shooting stars—has some added bonuses this year. Earth passes through the comet Swift-Tuttle's orbit and sweeps up some of its debris each year in early August, according to Space.com. We see rapid streaks of light as those particles of debris hit the thin, upper atmosphere of the Earth, and the air is heated to incandescence. This year, the meteor shower will peak late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, when the moon is in its waning crescent phase. That means the moonlight won't interfere with your view of the dashing meteors, according to Astronomy.com. The forecast is for a clear and cool evening in Northeast Cobb, so you should have a good view. You don't need a telescope to view this …
