Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower, Clouds, Rain, and - Snow?!

"Meteor Shower Created by Halley's Comet Peaks Thursday"
Space.com (May 5, 2010)

"It's been 24 years since Halley's Comet last passed through the inner solar system, but remnants from the icy wanderer will light up the dawn sky this week in the Eta Aquarid meteor shower.

"The meteor shower is predicted to peak early on Thursday morning, May 6. Under ideal conditions (a dark, moonless sky) about 40 of these very swift meteors can be seen per hour. The shower appears at about one-quarter peak strength for about three or four days before and after May 6.

"The famous Halley's Comet takes roughly 76 years to circle the sun and last passed through our cosmic neighborhood in 1986. Halley's orbit closely approaches the Earth's orbit in two spots, offering two chances each year to see meteor showers left over from the comet's cosmic 'litter.'..."

Thursday? Hey! That's today! The Lemming is late for this meteor shower: but maybe you can catch it tomorrow morning - at around one-quarter the intensity.

We won't be seeing the Eta Aquarid meteor shower here in central Minnesota: unless someone charters an airplane to get above the clouds. We're expecting rain today: and snow tomorrow.

I know: it's May. And this is Minnesota.

Skywatching Events for 2010

"Skywatching Highlights of 2010"
Space.com (January 3, 2010)

"Here are some of the more noteworthy sky events that will take place in 2010. Each will be covered in greater detail as the event approaches. Notes about terminology:

"Magnitude: On this scale, smaller numbers represent brighter objects, with the brightest stars and planets represented by negative numbers.

"Degrees: Distances in the sky, from our point of view, are measured in degrees. Your fist on an outstretched arm measures about 10 degrees of sky.

"Jan. 15 – Solar Eclipse

"An annular (ring) eclipse of the sun will take place over parts of Africa, India and China. Because the moon is near apogee (its farthest point from Earth in its orbit) and the Earth has just passed perihelion. So the moon appears much smaller than average, and the sun somewhat larger...."

There's more: Mars will come very close to Earth, about 61,700,000 miles; Venus and Jupiter, and Venus and Mars, will appear to approach each other in our sky; plus the usual meteor showers and a few more eclipses.

This article could be a pretty good go-to page for skywatchers for 2010.

Leonid Shower Tuesday and Wednesday Mornings

"Strong Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Early Tuesday Morning "
Space.com (November 16, 2009)

"One of the best annual meteor showers will peak in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday, and for some skywatchers the show could be quite impressive.

"The best seats are in Asia, but North American observers should be treated to an above average performance of the Leonid meteor shower, weather permitting. The trick for all observers is to head outside in the wee hours of the morning – between 1 a.m. and dawn – regardless where you live.

"The Leonids put on a solid show every year, if skies are clear and moonlight does not interfere. This year the moon is near its new phase, and not a factor. For anyone in the Northern Hemisphere with dark skies, away from urban and suburban lighting, the show should be worth getting up early to see.

" 'We're predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia,' said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Other astronomers who work in the nascent field of meteor shower prediction have put out similar forecasts...."

"...The planet will pass through an even denser stream later, just before dawn Wednesday in Indonesia and China, but that show won't be visible from North America because it will be daytime here...."

The article tells where the Leonid meteors come from - the comet Tempel-Tuttle - and why they're called "Leonid" meteors.

North Americans get a look at Earth's passage through one of the dense streams around 4:00 a.m., Eastern time.

There's a pretty good collection of information here: background on meteors, on the Leonids in particular, and practical advice on how to watch for meteors.

Interactive View of the Sky

"Neave Planetarium"

"Welcome to the playground of one Mr Paul Neave, serial Flash fettler and interactive designer. Paul says hello. Hello!"

An interactive view of the sky: pan, rotate; and see what happens when you run the cursor over a star. Date, time, latitude, longitude can be re-set.

Really Cool Guide to the Night Sky

"HubbleSite - Tonight's Sky - November" is a cool multimedia guide (movie, really) showing November sky highlights (northern hemisphere).

You don't need much astronomical know-how to enjoy this, but a moderately powerful computer helps.