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If you can spare a few minutes on Thursday and Friday night you will discover an exciting and dynamic universe that’s usually hidden from our eyes (and no, we’re not talking about Pokémon Go).
The Perseid meteor shower, which occurs at roughly the same time every year, is on full display this week and experts are expecting a particularly pyrotechnic peak on Thursday and Friday night. In fact, the meteor shower could be the best light show seen in 20 years.
The Perseids are created by the passing debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which last flew by the Sun in 1992. The small pieces of rock burn up upon entry into the atmosphere, creating a momentary streak of light across the night sky. If this was a normal year, one could easily expect 60-100 meteors per hour but this isn’t a normal year. NASA is predicting that on the night of August 11-12, we might see an incredible 200 meteors per hour. That’s more than three per minute — enough to keep even the shortest of attention spans captivated.
Why the extra fireworks?
For that, you can thank the largest planet in the solar system. Gary Boyle, locally known as The Backyard Astronomer, explains that “every 12 years the planet Jupiter affects the cloud of debris (from Swift-Tuttle) making it a bit denser. This last occurred in 2004.” So, instead of the a few rocks skipping across the atmosphere, a slew of tiny meteors will plunge directly towards us, burning up in the process. (Note: a meteor is the name given to a rock while it is falling towards the Earth; a meteorite is the rare piece of rock that actually makes it to the surface.)
What’s the best way for you to enjoy this rare event?
This might be tough but try to escape Ottawa’s light pollution.If you can, find a big field that has a big horizon so that you can see more of the sky. Gatineau Park is a great location but just be sure that you’re not letting too many trees obstruct your view. If you need to bring a flashlight cover it with a red piece of cloth since red doesn’t affect your night-vision as much. Etienne Rollin, who works in the Department of Physics at Carleton University, suggests a dark backyard (maybe coordinate with your neighbours to turn off any outdoor lights). If you’re going to be outside for a long period of time, staying comfortable is important and that means being close to food, drinks, bug spray and bathrooms.
Also, try to stay up past midnight — 12:13 a.m. on Thursday and 12:43 on Friday — to be more precise. That’s when the moon sets and the sky becomes truly dark.
If you want more than just a light show, Rollin also suggests setting up some speakers in order to listen to the meteors (tune in here: http://spaceweatherradio.com)
This best advice? Just keep looking up.
查看原文...
The Perseid meteor shower, which occurs at roughly the same time every year, is on full display this week and experts are expecting a particularly pyrotechnic peak on Thursday and Friday night. In fact, the meteor shower could be the best light show seen in 20 years.
The Perseids are created by the passing debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which last flew by the Sun in 1992. The small pieces of rock burn up upon entry into the atmosphere, creating a momentary streak of light across the night sky. If this was a normal year, one could easily expect 60-100 meteors per hour but this isn’t a normal year. NASA is predicting that on the night of August 11-12, we might see an incredible 200 meteors per hour. That’s more than three per minute — enough to keep even the shortest of attention spans captivated.
Why the extra fireworks?
For that, you can thank the largest planet in the solar system. Gary Boyle, locally known as The Backyard Astronomer, explains that “every 12 years the planet Jupiter affects the cloud of debris (from Swift-Tuttle) making it a bit denser. This last occurred in 2004.” So, instead of the a few rocks skipping across the atmosphere, a slew of tiny meteors will plunge directly towards us, burning up in the process. (Note: a meteor is the name given to a rock while it is falling towards the Earth; a meteorite is the rare piece of rock that actually makes it to the surface.)
What’s the best way for you to enjoy this rare event?
This might be tough but try to escape Ottawa’s light pollution.If you can, find a big field that has a big horizon so that you can see more of the sky. Gatineau Park is a great location but just be sure that you’re not letting too many trees obstruct your view. If you need to bring a flashlight cover it with a red piece of cloth since red doesn’t affect your night-vision as much. Etienne Rollin, who works in the Department of Physics at Carleton University, suggests a dark backyard (maybe coordinate with your neighbours to turn off any outdoor lights). If you’re going to be outside for a long period of time, staying comfortable is important and that means being close to food, drinks, bug spray and bathrooms.
Also, try to stay up past midnight — 12:13 a.m. on Thursday and 12:43 on Friday — to be more precise. That’s when the moon sets and the sky becomes truly dark.
If you want more than just a light show, Rollin also suggests setting up some speakers in order to listen to the meteors (tune in here: http://spaceweatherradio.com)
This best advice? Just keep looking up.
查看原文...
