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This could be the year! Most experts agree that 1999 is a
likely year for a major Leonids meteor storm during which 100,000 or more
meteors an hour could be visible. Then again -- they could be wrong. Predicting
the level of Leonids activity on a given year is a tricky business.
Backyard Science Alert:
The "Leonid" meteor shower will peak on the night of November
17th and in the wee morning hours of the 18th.
Be it a regular meteor shower (typically the Leonid's shower displays a
meager 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour) or a spectacular storm, you are
in for a treat. And all you need to do is step outside and take a look...
we invite you to post your observations in our Night
Sky Notebook. Candy
Semper said last year's shower was, "spectacular,
but as a parent it was priceless... there's a lot of time between meteors
to just talk and joke around!"
Lori Montiel reported sighting a fireball so bright it turned the night
sky, "blue
for about 60 seconds."
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Parents
and Educators:
Check out NASA's Thursday
's Classroom for Leonids related lesson plans and activities. |
Several FamilyEducation families have also reported sightings of numerous
fireballs and wonderful displays of shooting stars. If weather is a problem
where you live, click here for links to view the shower
live and online in cyberspace.
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Background
The "Leonid" meteor shower (so called because the meteors appear to
emanate from the part of the sky containing the constellation Leo) is an
annual event occurring when the Earth passes through, or near, the orbit
of Comet Tempel-Tuttle.
Every 33 years as the comet flashes through the inner
solar system, the Leonid shower can become a meteor storm. The last time
the earth passed through the heart of the Leonid meteor swarm was in 1966
and again in 1998. Back in 1966 sky-watchers were rewarded with one of
the greatest displays in history, with a maximum rate of 2,400 meteors
per minute or 144,000 per hour.
If 1999 is going to be a repeat performance, your best chance to experience
it will come in the wee morning hours of November 18th. To find it, face
east and look for the constellation, Leo, with its backwards question mark.
This time, weather permitting, the viewing conditions will be nearly
ideal. There will be a half moon in the sky and a fairly dark sky gives everyone
a better chance to see what the shower has to offer.
What to expect
In nature, there are no guarantees and there is no sure fire way to
predict exactly what a given observer will witness. Sometimes a much ballyhooed
meteor shower and storm has fizzled into a disappointing stellar drizzle.
The absolute best viewing areas in the whole world are expected to be
in Europe, Middle East, and North Africa. Maybe. If the Earth passes through
the center of the Leonid stream a few hours earlier (or later) than predicted
the best seat in the house could be in North America.
The best advice is to keep expectations low while you watch and wait.
At worst, you'll loose a few hours of sleep under a quiet night sky getting
to know your kids. At best, you'll have a ring side seat to a once in a
lifetime event. Either way, it'll be time well spent.
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Leonids Web and Live Viewing Links
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Health and Nutrition
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