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Monday, November 16, 2009

Meteors & Meteorites

The next meteor shower is the Leonids. The shower will peak in the predawn hours of November 17-18. Though some meteors can be sited as early as November 10th. The Moon will be just past new, so it won't interfere with the shower. Experts predict that this will be a good year for the Leonids, with several dozen outbursts per hour. The meteors can be seen in the southeastern sky - emanating from the constellation Leo.


Here are some of our meteorites. Each one is about the size of a ping pong ball. We did not find these, we traded for them. (Rock hounds are always trading stuff!)

Some useful definitions:
Meteoroid - a particle of debris in the solar system
Meteor - a meteoroid that has entered the Earth's atmosphere
Meteorite - a meteoroid that has reached the ground
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9 comments:

  1. Globetrotting GamineNovember 16, 2009 at 5:39 AM

    If you know where us NYers can go and see it (if we can :) let me know!!

    Hope you have a wonderful day!
    MG

    *whosthatgamine.blogspot.com*

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  2. Debra She Who SeeksNovember 16, 2009 at 6:38 AM

    Thanks for the definitions -- I never knew the technical difference between those terms before!

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  3. RueNovember 16, 2009 at 7:46 AM

    I didn't know the difference between those words! You learn something new every day - thanks to clever bloggers!

    I'll be checking this one out...tonight or very early tomorrow morning!

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  4. SuzieNovember 16, 2009 at 8:40 AM

    Thanks for the reminder! I got my Sky Watch notice at the beginning of the month, but time flies!

    I'm keeping my fingers crossed for clear skies!

    We've been known to bundle up, haul out the lounge chairs, take blankets and thermos's of warm drinks out to make an event of it!

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  5. Brenda LaBellNovember 16, 2009 at 12:46 PM

    Those are very cool!! Sure hope I get to see this event.

    Brenda

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  6. JeanneNovember 17, 2009 at 6:21 AM

    It seems that every time there is a meteor shower here, the skies are cloudy. Maybe, just maybe it'll clear up today!
    Good luck with the viewing everyone!
    Stay warm! And enjoy! :0)

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  7. JoyceAnnNovember 17, 2009 at 7:50 AM

    Hi Jeanne ~ So glad you posted this , I plan to watch the meteor showers tonight.
    I didn't know the difference in those words either , thank~you for enlightening us.

    ~ Many Blessings ~

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  8. AnonymousNovember 17, 2009 at 1:24 PM

    I will hopefully see some tonight!

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  9. BridgettNovember 17, 2009 at 7:20 PM

    Very cool!!

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