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It’s that time again—-time for the annual Geminid Meteor Showers, and an early Christmas gift for those in the right location to view them. This is my favourite time of year to welcome the return of the Geminids, so-called because their radiant originates in the constellation Gemini, from the region around Castor.
Of all the meteor showers that occur each year, the Geminids is the most spectacular and never fail to delight and awe those who have seen them before, as well as those seeing them for the first time. Visible to the naked eye with more than 100 meteors an hour shooting across the sky at fast speeds, you will see brilliant displays of the remnants of particles entering Earth’s atmosphere as a result of Earth passing through debris left from the path of 3200 Phaeton, once believed to be an asteroid, now considered to be an iceless (extinct) comet.
The peak of the shower occurs Monday through Tuesday (Dec. 13-14, 2010), between 12:00 midnight and just before sunrise. As long as there are clear skies, viewing will occur from Monday (Dec. 13) through Dec. 16th, with the best viewing in the Northern Hemisphere.
Also, as icing on the cake is another Christmas present (and the last one of the year): there will be a total Lunar eclipse from the evening of Dec. 20 to the early hours of the morning of Dec. 21. The eclipse will be visible to those of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as Central America, and a few areas in South America, and in Greenland and Iceland.
It’s going to be chilly out there, but, it will be worth it, so button up, get warm, pull up a comfortable chair, and prepare to see a celestial show that comes along once a year.
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Bulletin at a Glance |
Three Great, Small Reflectors
December 10, 2010 | Orion Telescopes & Binoculars’s XT4.5 and StarBlast
4.5 and Edmund Scientific’s Astroscan set the standard of excellence for small,
inexpensive, easy-to-use telescopes. > read more
4.5 and Edmund Scientific’s Astroscan set the standard of excellence for small,
inexpensive, easy-to-use telescopes. > read more
Japan’s
Akatsuki Goes AWOL
December 7, 2010 | A spacecraft that was
supposed to slip into orbit around Venus for a two-year study of its atmosphere
has instead flown right by — and won’t be back for another 7 years. > read more
supposed to slip into orbit around Venus for a two-year study of its atmosphere
has instead flown right by — and won’t be back for another 7 years. > read more
Observing
 S&T
illustration |
It’s
Geminid Time!
December 9, 2010 | Get ready for what many
skywatchers consider the year’s richest and most reliable meteor shower, which this year peaks in the predawn
hours of December 14th. > read more
skywatchers consider the year’s richest and most reliable meteor shower, which this year peaks in the predawn
hours of December 14th. > read more
Tour
December’s Sky by Eye and Ear!
November 30, 2010 | One of
the grand tales of celestial mythology is playing out overhead during December
evenings. Host: S&T’s Kelly Beatty. (6.5MB MP3 download: running time: 7m
00s) > read more
the grand tales of celestial mythology is playing out overhead during December
evenings. Host: S&T’s Kelly Beatty. (6.5MB MP3 download: running time: 7m
00s) > read more
Revival on
Jupiter Continues
December 3, 2010 | The King of Planets was
missing one of its signature dark belts last February, but it’s gradually
returning to view. > read more
missing one of its signature dark belts last February, but it’s gradually
returning to view. > read more
Encounters
with Comet Hartley 2
October 28, 2010 | Comet Hartley 2 comes
back into moonless view around the morning of November 1st — in time for the
spacecraft encounter on November 4th! > read more
back into moonless view around the morning of November 1st — in time for the
spacecraft encounter on November 4th! > read more
This Week’s Sky at a Glance
 Sky & Telescope diagram
|
This Week’s Sky at a Glance
December 10, 2010
| Mercury and Mars pair up deep in bright twilight, the Moon passes Jupiter, and Venus before dawn blazes at its highest,
with Saturn looking on. > read more
| Mercury and Mars pair up deep in bright twilight, the Moon passes Jupiter, and Venus before dawn blazes at its highest,
with Saturn looking on. > read more
Community
 Zooniverse
|
Draw Some
Bubbles, Help Astronomy
December 10, 2010 | A fun and colorful
new citizen-science effort has been launched to spot and flag star-forming
regions throughout our galaxy. > read more
new citizen-science effort has been launched to spot and flag star-forming
regions throughout our galaxy. > read more
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