• MY BLOG
  • BOOKS & ARTICLES
    • Books by Andrew Fraknoi
    • Articles for the Public
    • Articles for Educators
    • Classroom Activities on Astronomy
  • RESOURCE GUIDES
  • CONSULTING
    • Non-technical Talks on Astronomy
    • Developing Resource Guides
    • Writing Web-based Articles
    • Giving Talks on Astronomy Education
  • CLASSES & LECTURES
    • Classes I Teach
    • Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series
    • Public Lectures I Give
  • GALLERIES
    • Solar System Images
    • Nebula and Galaxy Images
    • Bumper Stickers for Astronomy
    • Pictures with Astronomers
  • AUDIO & VIDEO
    • Fraknoi’s Universe Podcast
    • Radio Programs & Podcasts with Andrew Fraknoi
    • Videos of Talks and Interviews
  • SCIENCE FICTION
Type and hit ENTER

Be Yourself. Be Happy.

Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side.

Stay Positive. Always.

Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side.

  • MY BLOG
  • BOOKS & ARTICLES
    • Books by Andrew Fraknoi
    • Articles for the Public
    • Articles for Educators
    • Classroom Activities on Astronomy
  • RESOURCE GUIDES
  • CONSULTING
    • Non-technical Talks on Astronomy
    • Developing Resource Guides
    • Writing Web-based Articles
    • Giving Talks on Astronomy Education
  • CLASSES & LECTURES
    • Classes I Teach
    • Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series
    • Public Lectures I Give
  • GALLERY
  • AUDIO & VIDEO
    • Fraknoi’s Universe Podcast
    • Radio Programs & Podcasts with Andrew Fraknoi
    • Videos of Talks and Interviews
  • SCIENCE FICTION
GET CONNECTED
  • MY BLOG
  • BOOKS & ARTICLES
    • Books by Andrew Fraknoi
    • Articles for the Public
    • Articles for Educators
    • Interdisciplinary Articles (Astronomy & the Humanities)
    • Classroom Activities on Astronomy
  • RESOURCE GUIDES
  • CONSULTING
    • Non-technical Talks on Astronomy
    • Developing Resource Guides
    • Writing Web-based Articles
    • Giving Talks on Astronomy Education
    • Organizing Conferences or Workshops
  • CLASSES & LECTURES
    • Classes I Teach
    • Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series
    • Public Lectures I Give
  • GALLERIES
    • Solar System Images
    • Nebula and Galaxy Images
    • Bumper Stickers for Astronomy
    • Pictures with Astronomers
  • AUDIO & VIDEO
    • Fraknoi’s Universe Podcast
    • Radio Programs & Podcasts with Andrew Fraknoi
    • Videos of Talks and Interviews
  • SCIENCE FICTION
A Possible New Meteor Shower the Night of Memorial Day
Share
Astronomy, Meteor Showers, Sky Phenomena

A Possible New Meteor Shower the Night of Memorial Day

May 27, 2022
-
Posted by admin

Some specialists in comet and meteor science are predicting that we COULD have a new, never-before-seen meteor shower on the night of Monday March 30th. (A meteor shower is when you can see a number of shooting stars in the dark sky over time.) Here is the full story.

Meteor showers happen when an old comet (a chunk of dirty ice left over from the formation of our solar system long ago) gets close to the Sun and begins to fall apart. As its ice evaporates, the dirt (and we mean just the kind of dirt you find under your desk when you are too busy reading astronomy stories to vacuum!) gets spread out along the orbit the comet occupied. After many years of this, quite a bit of loosened dirt can be orbiting the Sun just as the former comet did. Each time our planet (in its orbit) moves through this zone of dust, the pieces hit the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up — which we see as a meteor or “shooting star.”

Now, there happens to be a comet called “Schwassman-Wachmann 3” (after the two German astronomers who first discovered it in 1930) which orbits the Sun every 5 and a half years. It was considered a minor comet of little interest, until 1994, when it come around again, but looked 400 x brighter than before. How could that be? Well, it had broken into a number of fragments, exposing a lot more icy surface to evaporation and light reflection from the Sun. In 2006, images with the Hubble Space Telescope (seen here) and other space instruments showed that it had broken into even more fragments and was probably producing quite a bit of dust.

Its last appearance in 2017 showed even MORE pieces and more possibility of dust production. The chunks were distributing themselves along the old comet’s orbit. So, now it’s coming around again, and the 64 million dollar question is: will there be enough dust for a meteor shower? Some experts say yes, others are more hesitant.

If you want to check for yourself, the best time for shooting stars is 10 pm Pacific time Monday night (1 am Eastern.) But you can’t just walk outside and expect to see anything. These meteors will be faint and impossible to see if city lights are brightening your sky. But if you can be in a dark location at that time, and give your eyes at least 10-15 minutes to adapt to the dark, and have a good view of much of the sky, you might just see some shooting stars as time goes by.

Some other hints: Dress warm, be patient, don’t expect a laser light show, and bring a thermos of hot chocolate and someone with whom you like to spend time in the dark. At this time of the month, the Moon’s light will not be a factor.

If you see a few shooting stars, congratulate yourself for being one of the first humans ever to see this meteor shower. If you don’t, you can tell yourself that you have had a typical experience with science, where results are not always instantaneous or easy to obtain. Then we can all check back in another 5 1/2 years.

May 27, 2022
No comments yet

Related Posts

Other posts that you should not miss.
Astronomy, Stars

The Star Betelgeuse Reveals a New Behavior

January 14, 2022
-
Posted by admin

Astronomers, using the Hubble Space Telescope and other instruments, announced today that they had seen something never …

Read More
January 14, 2022
Posted by admin
Five galaxies in infrared light
Astronomy, Galaxies, Infrared Astronomy, Telescopes

Peering Inside a Quartet of Galaxies with Webb Telescope

July 15, 2022
-
Posted by admin

We are looking at a brand new picture of five galaxies (islands of billions of stars), four …

Read More
July 15, 2022
Posted by admin
Astronomy, Sky Phenomena, Solar System, Space Science, Sun

Happy Winter Solstice

December 20, 2022
-
Posted by admin

It's the Winter Solstice, when we experience the shortest day and longest night.

Read More
December 20, 2022
Posted by admin
← PREVIOUS POST
Beautiful Image of a Hidden Cluster
NEXT POST →
Image of the Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy

Leave a Comment

Your feedback is valuable for us. Your email will not be published.
Cancel Reply

Please wait...
Submit Comment

    RECENT POSTS
    • The arrow points to the star that exploded
      A Star Blows Up in Nearby Galaxy
      May 28, 2023

      Astronomers have seen a star explode in a nearby galaxy. Such explosions are part of the recycling scheme of the universe.

    • The Earth Beyond the Moon from Hakuto-R
      Earthrise Image (with Eclipse) from Doomed Spacecraft
      April 27, 2023

      On April 20, the Japanese Hakuto-R spacecraft took a remarkable image of the …

    • Sample Tube Under Perseverance
      New Records Set on Mars
      April 4, 2023

      What the Perseverance Rover and Ingenuity Helicopter have been doing on Mars.

    • The Andromeda Galaxy
      Zoom Into the Andromeda Galaxy
      March 17, 2023

      Check out an Older Hubble Telescope Image that will Leave You Star-struck We …

    • Galaxies dominate this view from the James Webb Space Telescope
      Galaxy Upon Galaxy in this JWST Image
      February 5, 2023

      (And A New Science Fiction Story) Here is a new image that the …

    Archives
    • HOME
    • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT ME
    • FAVORITE LINKS
    © Copyright 2018 | Designed by Blukat Media | All Rights Reserved | Powered by WordPress
    A Possible New Meteor Shower the Night of Memorial Day