Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: Earth is about to pass through a stream of dusty debris from
near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1, producing the annual Quadrantid meteor shower.
Forecasters expect a brief but intense peak of 50+ meteors per hour over
Earth's northern hemisphere sometime between 0200 UTC and 0700 UTC on Friday
morning, Jan. 4th. (Subtract 5 hours to convert UTC to EST.) The timing
favors observers in the eastern USA, Europe and western parts of Asia.
Winter storms frequently hide this shower from observers on the ground. To
avoid such problems, a team of astronomers led by Peter Jenniskens of the
SETI Institute plan to fly a plane above the clouds where they can train
their cameras on the Quadrantids. Their data may reveal whether asteroid
2003 EH1 is the fragment of a broken-apart comet. Visit
http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and more information.

JUST FOR FUN: This is a good time of year to see Orion the Hunter: the
constellation rises in the east at sunset. Watching Orion ascend, you may
experience the little-known "constellation illusion." The idea is the same
as the Moon illusion; constellations viewed near the horizon look abnormally
large. Go outside tonight and look. Can you believe your eyes?

On 3 Jan, 13:09, "Howard W3CQH" wrote:
Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2008http://spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: Earth is about to pass through a stream of dusty debris from
near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1, producing the annual Quadrantid meteor shower.
Forecasters expect a brief but intense peak of 50+ meteors per hour over
Earth's northern hemisphere sometime between 0200 UTC and 0700 UTC on Friday
morning, Jan. 4th. (Subtract 5 hours to convert UTC to EST.) The timing
favors observers in the eastern USA, Europe and western parts of Asia.
Winter storms frequently hide this shower from observers on the ground. To
avoid such problems, a team of astronomers led by Peter Jenniskens of the
SETI Institute plan to fly a plane above the clouds where they can train
their cameras on the Quadrantids. Their data may reveal whether asteroid
2003 EH1 is the fragment of a broken-apart comet. Visithttp://spaceweather.comfor sky maps and more information.

JUST FOR FUN: This is a good time of year to see Orion the Hunter: the
constellation rises in the east at sunset. Watching Orion ascend, you may
experience the little-known "constellation illusion." The idea is the same
as the Moon illusion; constellations viewed near the horizon look abnormally
large. Go outside tonight and look. Can you believe your eyes?

When they collect these fragments are they like talcum powder that is
presently found on earth or are they moon dust like fragments. I
understand NASA have depleted their store of moon dust
which are jagged remnants of past collisions that storms have not
ground down. They need more moon dust to experiment on how to prevent
their entry into landing craft and the like.
Apparently one university is having success at growing crystals of
same.
Art

"Howard W3CQH" wrote in message
...
Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: Earth is about to pass through a stream of dusty debris
from
near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1, producing the annual Quadrantid meteor
shower.
Forecasters expect a brief but intense peak of 50+ meteors per hour over
Earth's northern hemisphere sometime between 0200 UTC and 0700 UTC on
Friday

I tried to watch one of those meteor-showers a couple of years ago, but got
a crick in my neck, then someone told me it may be easier if I would lay on
my back in the bed of my pickup truck - so I tried that - to no avail. My
wife said try it again without the camper-top - but what does she know about
meteors?

"Howard W3CQH" wrote in message
...
Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: Earth is about to pass through a stream of dusty debris
from
near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1, producing the annual Quadrantid meteor
shower.
Forecasters expect a brief but intense peak of 50+ meteors per hour over
Earth's northern hemisphere sometime between 0200 UTC and 0700 UTC on
Friday
morning, Jan. 4th. (Subtract 5 hours to convert UTC to EST.) The timing
snip
That figures.....Jan 4 is forecast to have one of the very few rainstorms
here in So Cal. Hope you other guys have good luck!

On 3 Jan, 15:40, "Hal Rosser" wrote:
"Howard W3CQH" wrote in message

...

Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: Earth is about to pass through a stream of dusty debris
from
near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1, producing the annual Quadrantid meteor
shower.
Forecasters expect a brief but intense peak of 50+ meteors per hour over
Earth's northern hemisphere sometime between 0200 UTC and 0700 UTC on
Friday

I tried to watch one of those meteor-showers a couple of years ago, but got
a crick in my neck, then someone told me it may be easier if I would lay on
my back in the bed of my pickup truck - so I tried that - to no avail. My
wife said try it again without the camper-top - but what does she know about
meteors?

I was born in London before the war. You can hardly make out the stars
because of the multitude of lights. This is the reasom of course that
the Greenwich observatory was abandoned. Had some visitors from London
a few years back and they spent all evening looking up at the clear
skies of illinois. Today it is much to cold for an old man to venture
out.
Regards
Art