Astromony Question of the Day 9/10/06

[tfwthom]

<span method="POST" action="/dopoll.php"></span><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

Just noticed the date in the topic.....lol<br /><br />Teach me to proof read a post without my reading glasses. I typed the question and answer offline just cut and pasted it here and typed the topic without my glasses. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

I'm going to hold off posting the answer till later, see if we get more answers. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[kauboi]

I say November.

 

[scull]

Does it matter where you are? <br />

 

[tfwthom]

Yeah.........you have to be on Earth <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[telfrow]

<i>Now</i> you tell me. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[scull]

LOL ... ok, so someone in Canada will see the same thing as someone in South Africa? How about different weathers and stuff? Doesn't that play a role?

 

[tfwthom]

Well,,,,,,,clouds might not help much.<br /><br />Really.....it's anywhere on Earth. What month has the highest avg of meteors?<br /><br />And I'll tell ya this.....any given night, anywhere, you can see 5 or 6 if you watch the whole sky. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[scull]

I guessed November. I'm sure I'm wrong again. I'm not doing well with your polls. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />

 

[yevaud]

November. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[scull]

No way, you too? I might get one right then.

 

[kauboi]

I got the phases of the moon question right and the other one I'm pretty sure the answer is meteors. If I get this right I'm currently flawless <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[yevaud]

Shaddup, or I'm going to start singing the "I'm too sexy" song...<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[kauboi]

shhhhh!!! that was supposed to be my secret victory dance! <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[yevaud]

Ok, how about the "Numa Numa?" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[scull]

Showoff.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[kauboi]

ok, that's a more like "in your face" kind of dance, it helps when the opponent doesn't understand rumanian, that way it makes more sense.

 

[tfwthom]

I'm thinking of not posting the answer and changing this to a question of the week or I'll run out of questions. lol<br /><br />Also that would give a lot more people a chance to answer. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Why not? Week's half-over anyways.<br /><br />Go for it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

Let's make this one go away. <br /><br />And the answer is ............... August<br /><br />On an average night, one might see six to eight meteors per hour if you watch the whole sky. But during a meteor shower, the rate can be much higher, perhaps one per minute during the Perseid shower about August 12. Other important showers are the Orionids in October, the Leonids in November, and the Geminids in December. Meteor showers are usually named for the constellations containing the radiant, the area from which the meteors appear to come.<br /><br /><br />Total of 11 answers at this time, 4 for Nov, only 3 for Aug.<br /><br /><br />I'll post the answer to the other one and a new question Sunday (maybe)<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Oddly, I have an Astronomy text I referred to that states the Leonids have the most per/hour, and consistantly as well. Although it did say that the Perseid's were right behind them.<br /><br />Hmm. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[tfwthom]

OK as I said it was just off a question/answer card.<br /><br /><br />Looking around I will tend to agree with the card though. http://www.theastronomer.org/forthcoming_meteors.html <br /><br />Perseids <br />Max Aug 12d13h UT chart <br />Despite not producing peak rates as high as those of the Leonid storms and the Geminids, the Perseid meteor shower remains the favourite for most observers. This is because, in addition to being rich in bright and trained meteors, it also occurs during summer in the northern hemisphere as opposed to the cold nights of late autumn for the two aforementioned showers. Perseid activity can be seen from the last week of July through to the third week of August. With New Moon occurring on Aug 5 and First Quarter occurring on Aug 13, observations of the Perseids in 2005 will not be significantly hindered by moonlight. On the night of maximum, the Moon will have set before midnight - for observers at the latitude of the UK, moonset is at around 22hUT. The radiant is highest late in the night. Although the enhanced Perseid peaks seen during the 1990s as the result of the perihelion passage of Comet Swift-Tuttle are no longer observed, peak Perseid rates do vary from year to year and so surprises cannot be ruled out. <br />August Minor Showers <br />Sporadic activity is quite high in August and numerous minor showers have been reported as being active. Many of them are probably spurious, with some of their supposed members being mis-identified Perseids and late members of the Aquarid/Capricornid complex. The more reliable showers include the Alpha Aurigids, which reach maximum late in the month (radiant RA 04h56m , Dec +43), and the Kappa Cygnids which reach maximum on Aug 20 (radiant 19h20m, +55). Some sources also list a second Kappa Cygnid maximum on Aug 26. New Moon in 2005 occurs on Aug 5, with Full Moon occurring on Aug 19. <br /><br /><br />Seems to have been more a <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>