Meteor showers and comets

Meteor shower that occurred during the span of one calendar year can not be separated by the presence of a comet. Let us see the meteor shower calendar.

When comets (including Tempel-Tuttle) passes close to the Sun, comet become smaller 

because the surface melts and sheds more dust and debris.

Draconid meteor shower (early October) is caused by the comet Giacobini-Zinner. Draconid a meteor shower meteor shower because the nature of comets that periodically affect this meteor shower is still solid but the dust is concentrated around this comet.

Comet Tempel-Tuttle, the Leonid meteor shower causes the presence of which occurred in mid-November. Paste the nature of dust-Tuttle comet remnants of this dust is scattered along the path is thin but high density around the core kometnya.

Halley's Comet into the cause of the presence of Eta Aquarid meteor shower (early May) and Orionid that occurred in mid-October. While the Perseid meteor shower that occurred in mid-August came from the dust of comet Swift-Tuttle.

Halley Comet -->

Some meteor showers like Andromedid (mid November) is caused by a comet that has broken from Biela's comet dust that collapse around the year 1860. Geminid meteor shower that occurred mid-December due to the death comet that now only a core course that is the asteroid Phaethon.

The presence of a periodic comet that causes the presence of meteor showers can also be unpredictable and the experts are able to make a meteor shower calendar as a guide to enjoying the most amazing natural phenomena.

What is a Leonid meteor shower?

Why it is called the Leonid meteor shower? Does this have anything to do with the constellation Leo? Does Leonid meteor shower comes from the Leo constellation?

Yes, the Leonid meteor shower has something to do with the constellation Leo. But that does not mean Leonid meteor shower comes from the constellation Leo. But because the Leonid meteor shower "as if" comes from the constellation Leo, hence called the Leonid meteor shower.

Leonid Meteor Shower 2009

You remember when you use the shower and bath located at some distance from the shower head? Note that if we are some distance away, jets of water from the shower will be about us as if we were hit by rain in a large field. After that, consider the starting point towards your shower jets. "Rain" from the shower you "as if" comes from one point to shower you not? Let's go to bathroom and Practice for it:)

Just like the Leonid meteor shower, and also others such as Perseid meteor shower, Orionid, Geminid and others, Leonid meteor shower "as if" comes from a single point in the sky from the direction of the constellation Leo. But that does not mean that the Leonid meteor shower comes from the constellation Leo! Named Leonid karena as if originating from the constellation Leo. That is why the Leonid meteor shower is called.

When the Leonid meteor shower? Meteor shower calendar says Leonid meteor showers occur almost at the end of the year in the month of November with a peak incidence on 17 November until 20 November. On previous dates usually occur "drizzle" meteor due to the intensity that is small enough of this meteor shower.

In the year 1998 and year 2002 represents the pinnacle event of the Leonid meteor shower. Even some of the space organization called the Leonid meteor shower of Leonid meteor storm was as karena very high intensity. Leonid meteor storm is estimated that there will be another few tens of years.

Leonid meteor shower is a very elegant heritage relics from comet Temple-Tuttle. Remnants of the legacy of comet dust will terlintasi by the Earth around the months of November each year and will always be waiting for the "fans" in any hemisphere.

Do you belong to one of them?

Meteor? Meteoroid? Meteorite?

What is the difference Meteor? Meteoroid? Meteorite?

To answer this, we begin by discussing, what is a meteor. What's the difference with a meteorite? What about meteoroids?

Meteoroids are celestial bodies that float freely in space. Forms and their movements erratic, relatively small size. And its movement is free and there is erratic in the empty spaces of space, one time it approaches the planet's orbit meteoroids. When approaching the orbit of the planet, say the planet Earth that we live, interact with the Earth's gravity pull of the meteoroid. Earth's gravity will make a much bigger meteoroids gravitate toward Earth.

Meteoroids are attracted by the pull of the Earth and will enter the Earth with very high speed. If the Earth did not have a layer of atmosphere, the meteoroid, tell of the coconut fruit size, will hit the Earth with tremendous force. You may feel the "strength" of rain water droplets to the top of your head. One drop of water that falls freely overwrite your head, still felt strong enough. How about "if" Earth without the atmosphere, and meteoroid enters the Earth with free fall, hit the Earth? With the higher speed, the greater the energy that is created, Booom ...

Earth is still fortunate to have the atmosphere that serves as a shield which is very tough. When the meteoroid enter into the Earth, Atmosphere will restrain the rate of meteoroid, but the rate of meteoroid continues to penetrate the layers of the Atmosphere. Friction between layers of the Atmosphere and erode Meteoroids and "burn" Meteoroids so that we on Earth see it as a Falling Star. Meteoroid that crashed and burned in the Earth's atmosphere is called Meteor. Is there a connection when there is a meteor, and we say our desire to come true? :)

During the burn in the atmosphere, we were treated to beautiful scenery Falling Star. Not every night we could see this beautiful scenery. So, luckily, if you see this natural phenomenon.

In the process enters the Earth, some parts of the Meteor eroded by atmospheric layer so when it arrive at Earth, the part becomes very small, much smaller than the original size. Even for the small size of the meteoroid, probably when they arrive on Earth just to live the rest of the dust alone. Meteor, which arrived on Earth is called a meteorite, we can see it in the Museums of Geology. 

There you can see the meteorite, meteorites visit to our planet Earth. If you see a meteorite the size of a tennis ball, how size when it was floating in free space?

Then if our Earth is safe from the spacecraft's guests as well as this Meteor? Is not there a very tough atmosphere to protect the Earth and the creatures that inhabit it?

Have you ever watched the Armageddon movie starring Bruce Willis? Hmmm ... imagine the celestial body that much, hit the Earth ... crushed all. Perhaps this is also causing havoc on Earth Dinosaurs. Several theories menerangkan Meteors hit the Earth and causing havoc living beings who inhabit it.

Remember the Schoemaker-Levy comet that hit Jupiter? From satellite observations in mind that this comet-hole damage caused by the planet Earth! Fortunate that this comet was hit by the giant Jupiter many times the size of planet Earth. If this comet hit Earth, our planet is gone. We will not be able to say it was beautiful when Meteor meteor comes greater than our own planet. I just hope this never happens, although we are not as safe as the planet Earth envisioned.

Let's take a more listening and enjoying the scenery and enjoy this natural phenomenon as a gift of God Almighty. There are various kinds of natural phenomena which unfortunately for us pass. Star or Comet  beauty, or the Morning Star is also the Planet Venus, eclipse, Aurora, Falling Star or Meteor, Meteor Rain (the arrival can be predicted and enjoyed throughout the year) and others.

Impact of Leonid meteor shower

Leonid meteor dust is very small in size as small as grains of sand, but that does not mean no harm. With a speed of approximately 252 000 km / h! the Leonid meteor dust is very dangerous for the instrument space like satellites. Leonid meteor dust velocity is high enough compared with other meteor velocity of approximately 108 000 km / hr.

In addition to the destruction of the satellite, the Leonid meteor shower also affects HF radiowave propagation. Leonid meteor shower coming into Earth's atmosphere can cause ionization in ketinggial 80-100 km above the earth's surface. Consequently at this height will create a new layer of the ionosphere that is sporadic E layer. This layer is capable of reflecting the HF radio waves so that if there are no sporadic E layer, HF radio waves will be reflected by the higher layer. HF waves are then going to reach more distant regions. Different if the sporadic E layer appears, HF waves will be reflected by the sporadic E layer of this and because of its lower then jangkaunya power even shorter. 

Another effect is the creation of spectacular scenery, especially the time of the Leonid meteor storm in which the meteors appear to be numbered 150 000 meteors per hour! Leonid meteor storm occurred in 1966, 1998, 2002 and years later.

Meteor Shower Calendar for 2010

January

Quadrantids (Jan 3-4) -- Parent Comet 2003 EH1

In January, there's nice show on the sky called Quadrantids Meteor Shower. Typically, 40 meteors or so bright, blue and fast (25.5 miles per second) meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, some blazing more than halfway across the sky. A small percentage of them leave persistent dust trains. This shower usually has a very sharp peak, usually lasting only about an hour.

April

Lyrids (April 21-22)  -- Parent Comet C/Thatcher

There is no April mop. Even the frequency is lower than January, we can watch another Meteor Shower. The swift and bright Lyrid meteors disintegrate after hitting our atmosphere at a moderate speed of 29.8 miles per second. Lyrids meteor shower produce luminous trains of dust that can be observed for several seconds.

May

eta Aquarids (May 5-6) -- Parent Comet 1P/Halley

This may Meteor Shower has low frequency, 

June

Lyrids (June 14-16)

The June Lyrids is a low-rate shower during which you could see up to 10 meteors per hour during its peak. 

July

Delta Aquarids (July 28-29)

At peak time about 20 bright, yellow meteors can be observed per hour. Because these meteors nearly broadside the Earth, their speed is a moderate 25.5 miles per second.

Capricornids (July 29-30)

The Capricornids are characterized by their often yellow coloration and their frequent brightness. They are also slow interplanetary interlopers, hitting our atmosphere at around 15 miles per second. Though you can expect only 15 meteors per hour at best under dark sky conditions, the Capricornids are noted for producing brilliant fireballs.

August

Perseids (August 12-13) -- Parent Comet 109P/Swift Tuttle

This shower produces about 60 meteors per hour, and its performance is farily consistant from year to year.

Orionids Meteor Shower

October

Orionids (October 21-22)

This shower produces a peak rate of 20 yellow and green meteors per hour, which are fast moving at 41.6 miles per second and are known to produce fireballs.

November

Leonids (November 17-18) -- Parent Comet 55P Tempel Tuttle

The Leonids are best known for their 33-year peaks, during which 100s of meteors per hour can be observed. The last of these peaks occured in 2001.

December

Geminids (December 13-14)

The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids are characterized by their multi-colored display--65% being white, 26% yellow, and the remaining 9% blue, red and green.

How did Meteor Shower happen ?

There is Meteor, meteor showers, meteor storm, what's that all about?
What is a meteor shower and how did it happen?

Meteor is an incredible beautifully nature phenomenon. Meteor also called shooting stars. When the object space (meteoroid) enters the Earth and "burnt" due to friction with Earth's atmosphere, this is what we called the "Meteor". We on Earth see it as a falling star because of the light generated when entering our Earth. 

Then what is Meteor shower? Do you know what it is raining? :) 

Just as rain, meteor showers means there are Meteors coming in huge numbers into the Earth, like rain. Process of a meteor shower as well as the occurrence meteor process itself, only the occurrence of relatively large and at a time. 

In contrast to the occurrence of meteor itself can not be predicted, the meteor shower has its own schedule every year. Like for example if in the month of November, the planet Earth will be treated to spectacular natural scenery of the Leonid Meteor Showers incident. 

Why do meteor showers can be predicted while the meteors can not? We can tell when the meteor shower, we can also find out the various meteor showers. While the meteor incident itself until now very difficult to predict. Random movement of meteoroids patterns is complicate to estimates of meteor movement. While the occurrence of a meteor shower or when meteor shower occurs more predictable. 

Due to the occurrence of a meteor shower during the revolution of the Earth (ie the Earth on its axis for turning around the Sun), Earth is close to or penetrate the dust particles remaining from the tail of a comet ever approached the Sun. 

Comet, during its circulation around the sun, leaving a trail of comet dust particles from the body itself. Remember that comet tails always away from the sun. Some part of comet that "blown  away" by the sun leaving the dust particles are always away from the sun. This is what looks like the tail of a comet. And during its circulation, for "blowing" the sun causes around the track filled with comet dust remaining comets continue to hover. 

If the dust particles are the remnants of this comet passes near Earth, and an area when the Earth crossed the comet's dust particles, the dust will be attracted by the pull of the Earth's force. During entering the Earth, dust is burnt in the atmosphere and we are located on Earth will see it as a "meteor shower". 

When the meteor shower  happen? Each year the meteor shower can be predicted her arrival because of the Earth through the area around the dust particles by the time the remains of comets that almost fixed. And the dust remains of the comet will remain there until exhausted. Or maybe will not going out on the left of dust particles because comet will be back again someday. 

International Meteor Organization routinely publish Meteor Shower Calendar which is going to happen every year. You can create a schedule and prepare all equipment to enjoy this incredible scenery. Thick jacket, a cup of coffee, snacks and do not forget the telescope if you want a clearer view of this meteor shower.