[200q20v] Leonid Meteor Showers tonight(NAC, but worth it!)

[Brett Dikeman]

Just a side note here, but if you're in North America, grab your
camera, a lawn chair, and a blanket and step out around 11pm EST and
have a look up toward the Leo constellation(towards the east)for what
is supposed to be a meteor shower like no other.  First start
"earthgrazers" that streak across the sky, then the occasional
fantastic(see the space.com link for a photo) fireball when meteors
explode upon hitting the atmosphere.


http://www.amsmeteors.org
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/leonids_2001.html


I wouldn't mention something like this normally except that it's
supposed to be a "once in a lifetime" event, and both the NY times
and Boston Globe seem to have ignored it. In the 1800's it was
described in biblical proportions; around 1966 it was predicted as
being kind lame, but turned out fantastic.  Past few years
astronomers have been saying "it'll be big this year!" and there have
been a few fizzles, but this year, it's supposed to be
great...predictions are a peak of around 800 meteors an hour(13 per
minute.)

Have fun everyone!  At the very least, it's an excuse to go drive
somewhere in your Audi(MAC!) away from lights, and make the police
nervous by standing around in the high school football fields :-)

B
PS:if nothing happens and they screwed up, I don't want to hear about
it, I'll be pissed too :-)
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