Geminid Meteor Shower 122
An anonymous reader writes "physorg.com is carrying a story on the upcoming Geminid meteor shower, which will peak on December 13th. This is usually a high-rate meteor shower, and this year will be no different. The early morning hours are the best time to see them. Space.com is also reporting on the shower. This shower was also covered by Slashdot in 2003, 2002, and 2001."
stupid snow storms (Score:1)
Re:stupid snow storms (Score:1)
Re:stupid snow storms (Score:1)
Re:stupid snow storms (Score:1)
Re:stupid snow storms (Score:1)
I for one (Score:1)
I for one welcome our apocalyptic overlords.
Where's Bruce Willis?
Re:I for one (Score:1)
Way OT (Score:2)
Production Notes/Status:
Status: Pre-production
Comments: Filming set to begin Summer 2005?
So, that's not where he is.
Naked eyes and/or binoculars... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Naked eyes and/or binoculars... (Score:5, Informative)
You need to be able to watch as much of the sky as possibly... the small aperture of any maginification device will only cause you to muss most of the events...
Re:Naked eyes and/or binoculars... (Score:2)
Just a suggestion!
Re:Naked eyes and/or binoculars... (Score:1, Interesting)
Don't even try to tell me that you can track them (Score:1)
Meteor Shower? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Meteor Shower? (Score:2)
Re:Meteor Shower? (Score:1)
Light pollution (Score:5, Insightful)
Indeed... (Score:2)
Re:Light pollution (Score:2)
I reckon you are assuming that all of us here are city folk, then ain't ya?
I live in an area so dark at night the lightning bugs wake us up in the springtime.
Damn them critters.
Re:Light pollution (Score:3, Interesting)
Quite a few years ago I went up to Rhi
Noise (Score:2)
Re:Light pollution (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Light pollution (Score:5, Insightful)
The reason we still bother having constellations today is because they provide an easy way of mapping the sky in your head (at least once you get to know them). It's the similar to the way saying something is in Northern Canada gives you a better idea of where it is than saying something is at 61.297 N 112.883 W, even though the former is completely arbitrary.
Re:Light pollution (Score:1)
Re:Light pollution (Score:2)
Woefully, for this shower, NE is going to be cloudy
Re:Light pollution (Score:1)
Re:Light pollution (Score:2)
http://www.inquinamentoluminoso.it/download/mon
Are the Falklands Islands (or Maldives if you prefer) really that bright? They appear to be the most light-polluted spot in South America and that just seems odd to me. Perhaps it is an optical illusion of the projection used in the map.
Re:Light pollution (Score:1)
Re:Light pollution (Score:2)
And your comment about it being an adventure is dead on. Two years ago during the Leonids, my friend and I drove way out to the middle of nowhere only to be chased by Dog Soldiers [imdb.com] and then end up in a location where people watch you pee in the dark with night vision enabled cameras. Damn, darkness does weird things to the imagination.
This is way off topic, but... (Score:1)
Re:This is way off topic, but... (Score:1)
Good ol' times.
Re:This is way off topic, but... (Score:1)
Re:This is way off topic, but... (Score:1)
where is it visible? (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:where is it visible? (Score:2)
According to McBeath, the Geminids are predicted to reach peak activity on Monday at 22:20 GMT, which is 5:20 p.m. EST. Locations from Europe and North Africa east to central Russian and Chinese longitudes are in the best position to catch the very crest of the shower, when the rates conceivably could exceed 120 per hour, or two every minute.
Re:where is it visible? (Score:1)
"all over the world" (Score:1)
Shower? (Score:2, Funny)
Clouds (Score:2, Funny)
Why can't they schedule these things for clear nights?
Time zones (Score:2)
We have clear weather scheduled for Tokyo--if the sun doesn't get up first!
Stop the Earth, I want off . . .
Shower, take two (this time, it's funny, i swear!) (Score:4, Funny)
It's been running for three years? Which one of you bastards forgot to turn off the tap?
Re:Shower, take two (this time, it's funny, i swea (Score:2)
Meteor scatter (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Meteor scatter (Score:4, Informative)
Ham radio gear not required (Score:4, Interesting)
Regular FM radio and TV broadcasts are also reflected by the ionized trails.
Try tuning to an empty channel, as low on the dial as possible. Of course, for TV you'll need a set with a regular antenna, not cable or satellite. For FM, your car radio is probably the best radio you own for this purpose.
Sit there and listen/watch. You should see/hear brief bursts of signal. If you're really lucky, you'll hear something that will allow you to identify the station you saw/heard.
Might be something interesting to listen to while you're waiting for visible meteors -- or for the clouds to go away...
Re:Ham radio gear not required (Score:1)
I am pretty certain that not being a ham will not reduce your chances of observing the radio effects of the meteor shower in the slightest.
In fact, dare I say, it will drastically increase those chances.
For although hams are known for their numerous pleasant qualities,
a nack for the detection of radiowaves does not appear to be among them.
But in all fairness it needs to be said t
urgent questions (Score:1)
Thanks!
Re:urgent questions (Score:1, Informative)
Re:urgent questions (Score:2)
According to McBeath, the Geminids are predicted to reach peak activity on Monday at 22:20 GMT, which is 5:20 p.m. EST. Locations from Europe and North Africa east to central Russian and Chinese longitudes are in the best position to catch the very crest of the shower, when the rates conceivably could exceed 120 per hour, or two every minute.
Re:urgent questions (Score:1)
The Geminids are visible from the entire planet, I believe, although the northern hemisphere is favoured. You should see them.
I live in the country but Ontario may be cloud covered on Monday night/Tuesday morning. If not, I plan on
Can I see them in Somerset? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:urgent questions (Score:2)
Monday night UK time is best apparently
Re:urgent questions (Score:1)
Get a deck chair and a thick blanket. Go to a park. Sit down and start watching. Hot coffee will help. You don't need any more equipment for a meteor shower. And patience. And luck. Having two people or more helps because you can cover a greater portion of the sky and alert each other for fireballs.
If you have an old-type film camera,
I'd love to, but... (Score:2)
Horoscopics (Score:2)
The reason why it's news (Score:2)
Re:The reason why it's news (Score:2)
Re:The reason why it's news (Score:1)
Re:The reason why it's news (Score:2)
Each one of us has their own subjective reality. These might overlap in some respects, but they're never completely the same. My reality is different from yours. In your reality, you didn't write that post until you wrote it. In my reality, you didn't write this post until i looked at it (or, rather, until i looked at the message telling me that you had written a reply to my pos
back to your hole (Score:2)
Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:2)
(Studio crew busts up)
Brockman: "......what?"
Re:Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:2)
Video Computer System by Golden Shower
Kind of old, but definitely a classic.
Link (Score:2)
Video Computer System by Golden Shower [newvenue.com]
Re:Link (Score:2)
(At least this week)
Other Annual Nerd News Events (Funny, dammit) (Score:3, Funny)
Remember, in a few weeks, the year number will increment for all users of the Gregorian calendar.
You read it here on /. first! Warn all your friends -- don't be one of those saps still writing 2004 on your checks come next January!
Re:Other Annual Nerd News Events (Funny, dammit) (Score:2)
News Announcer: "Big light in sky slated to appear in East."
Re:Other Annual Nerd News Events (Funny, dammit) (Score:2)
/.'ed already? (Score:1, Informative)
If you were disappointed with the meager showing put on by this year's Leonid meteor shower, don't fret. What could be the best meteor display of the year is scheduled to reach its peak on Monday night, Dec. 13.
Skywatchers with dark skies away from city lights could see one or two meteors every minute during the Geminid meteor shower. The greatest activity is expected to be visible from North America, Europe and Africa.
The Geminids get their name from the constellation of Gemini, the Twins.
Early morning? Hah! (Score:2)
Two years ago I stayed out till 4am or so watching Leonids, they were cool but the display was dissapointing (even tho skys were clear) compared to how much they had been hyped as having a huge turnout that year. Would probably stay out and look for these but that exam...
Re:Early morning? Hah! (Score:1)
Re:Early morning? Hah! (Score:1)
In other news... (Score:1)
hmm... interesting (Score:1)
You shouldnt regard this as a dupe (Score:1)
For those in Southern California who want dark... (Score:3, Interesting)
When you arrive, the view is just breathtaking. Every constellation clearly visible. The end of the road is a large, cleared parking area ringed by trees up to about 20 degrees elevation. And it's definetly Geminid season... I saw about 10 or 12 meteors in the occasional times I looked up over about 3 hours.
Come heavily dressed (hits freezing before midnight): I find that two shirts and a jacket plus sweat pants and windbreaker pants will keep you warm for about 3-4 hours.
To get an idea of the weather, use the Mt. Pinos Dark Sky Clock [philharrington.net].
Come on over. :) (Score:3, Interesting)
(I'd watch from the summit [hawaii.edu] but it's gonna be colder up there.)
The most convenient airports are ITO and KOA in that order. :)
Minnesota? (Score:2)
But what I want to know is, where near Minneapolis (less than 30 min. drive preferably) can I go to see this clearly? I mean, I'd feel like a retard if we drove out there and then its like, whoops, no meteor shower.
Also, whats the best time to drive out to watch?
upcoming? December 13th?? (Score:2)
Though maybe the submitter sent in the article last week, and Taco just didn't get around to publishing it until today. Let's check the original article....
The best meteor shower of 2004 peaks on Dec. 13th
December 10, 2004
Yeah, three days is enough notice to clear a schedule. Thirteen hours ain't. Thanks for nuthin, Commander.
Re:upcoming? December 13th?? (Score:2)
light pollution? (Score:2)
ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! (Score:2)
Hints for observing and reporting (Score:2, Informative)
The joy of Seattle (Score:1)
Re:Dupe (Score:1, Offtopic)
Ok, so what you're telling us that this story is a dupe of a dupe of a dupe?
KFG
Re:Dupe (Score:2)
No. In order to qualify as an official "dupe," a story must be posted an unreasonably short amount of time after one nearly identical to it, or in such a way as to give comments under said story the grounds to mock the incompetent discernment exercised by a mod in posting the story.
Re:Dupe (Score:1)
But, don't we, like, have those grounds for every story?
KFG
Ok, i'll bite (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Ok, i'll bite (Score:1)
Re:THIS is as close as geeks get to bathing (Score:3, Funny)
True dat (Score:2)
Just imagine.... (Score:1)