Radar
November 5th, 2008, 12:42 PM
Chance for a good meteor shower.
http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn15116-taurid-meteors-may-produce-dazzling-fireballs.html?feedId=space_rss20
Sky watchers could catch a dazzling treat this week, with the peak of what is expected to be an unusually good Taurid meteor shower.
Meteors are bits of dust or rock that plunge into Earth's atmosphere at high speed, producing a glowing trail as they heat up gas particles.
The Taurid meteors originate in a stream of cometary debris that encircles the Sun. The debris was probably shed by a large, ancient comet that disintegrated to create the Taurid stream, as well as an existing comet called 2P/Encke.
The Earth began cutting across the broad dust trail in October, but it will cross the densest parts of the stream on 5 and 12 November. The best view of the Taurids is expected to fall on the night of 5 November, since the second peak may be obscured by an almost-full Moon.
The Taurids do not produce as many meteors as the Leonid or Perseid showers. But this year, the shower might be especially good because the Earth might
http://space.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/cms/dn15116/dn15116-1_540.jpg
Ray
http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn15116-taurid-meteors-may-produce-dazzling-fireballs.html?feedId=space_rss20
Sky watchers could catch a dazzling treat this week, with the peak of what is expected to be an unusually good Taurid meteor shower.
Meteors are bits of dust or rock that plunge into Earth's atmosphere at high speed, producing a glowing trail as they heat up gas particles.
The Taurid meteors originate in a stream of cometary debris that encircles the Sun. The debris was probably shed by a large, ancient comet that disintegrated to create the Taurid stream, as well as an existing comet called 2P/Encke.
The Earth began cutting across the broad dust trail in October, but it will cross the densest parts of the stream on 5 and 12 November. The best view of the Taurids is expected to fall on the night of 5 November, since the second peak may be obscured by an almost-full Moon.
The Taurids do not produce as many meteors as the Leonid or Perseid showers. But this year, the shower might be especially good because the Earth might
http://space.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/cms/dn15116/dn15116-1_540.jpg
Ray