[meteorite-list] Strong Leonid Meteor Shower Expected Nov. 18

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Oct 17 14:10:08 2006
Message-ID: <200610171810.LAA19789_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://space.com/scienceastronomy/061017_leonids_2006.html

Strong Leonid Meteor Shower Expected Nov. 18
By Joe Rao
SPACE.com
17 October 2006

If you live in Western Europe or eastern North America, put a big circle
on your calendar around Saturday, Nov. 18. If that night is clear,
bundle up warmly and head outside because you may be able to catch a
glimpse of an intense, albeit brief display of Leonid meteors.

The Leonids are composed of the dusty debris that has been shed by the
comet Temple-Tuttle, a small celestial body that orbits the Sun at
33-year intervals. In those years during and then for several years
after the comet has swept through the inner solar system, it has had a
propensity for producing spectacular meteor displays; meteors falling by
the hundreds, if not thousands per hour.

These "shooting stars" all apparently emanate from the constellation of
Leo, the Lion. Hence the name "Leonids."

The great years

The comet last passed the Sun and Earth in 1998, and from that year
through 2002, the Leonids produced showers in which meteors fell at
rates of more than a thousand per hour - displays that astronomers
call meteor storms.

Since 2003, however, with Temple-Tuttle having receded back into the far
reaches of the solar system, the Leonids have been disappointing, barely
producing more than 10 meteors per hour.

It appeared that the chances of any more spectacular Leonid displays
were over for many years to come. But that might not be case, if the
calculations of several reputable meteor scientists prove to be correct.

Prediction for 2006

Apparently, a rather narrow but dense ribbon of dust was shed by comet
Temple-Tuttle when it passed the Sun in 1932. When the Earth interacted
with that dusty trail back in 1969, it produced a brief bevy of some 200
to 300 meteors in less than hour.

In 2006, Earth will be nearly twice as far away from the comet as
opposed to 1969, but expectations are that as many as 100 to 150 Leonids
may streak across the sky in only an hour's time as we interact with
that decades-old ribbon of debris again.

The expected time of peak activity is 11:45 p.m. EST on the night of
Nov. 18.

Where to watch

For those living in eastern North America, the constellation of Leo will
be rising in the eastern sky. Unfortunately, those living across the
central and western parts of the United States and Canada will be out of
luck, since Leo will not yet have risen and the expected peak of the
display will be over when Leo finally comes above the horizon.

Skywatchers in Western Europe will have ringside seats: The peak is due
early on Sunday morning, Nov. 19 at 4:45 GMT. Leo will be high in the
southeast sky, just before sunrise affording the very best Leonid views.

Meteor watching is easy. Simply find the darkest location you can with a
clear view of the eastern horizon. Then go out and look up. Binoculars
and telescopes are of no use [meteor watching tips
<http://www.space.com/spacewatch/meteor_forecast.html>].

SPACE.com will provide a detailed viewer's guide to the 2006 Leonid
meteor shower on Nov. 17.
Received on Tue 17 Oct 2006 02:10:04 PM PDT