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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Meteor Shower tonight....
Must-See Meteor Shower Friday Morning Joe Rao
SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist
SPACE.com
Thu Jan 3, 9:01 AM ET
The Quadrantid meteor shower is due to reach maximum in the predawn hours of Friday, Jan. 4. The Quadrantids are notoriously unpredictable, but if any year promises a fine display, this could be it.
Indeed, this may end up being the best meteor shower of 2008.
The Quadrantid (pronounced KWA-dran-tid) meteor shower provides one of the most intense annual meteor displays, with a brief, sharp maximum lasting but a few hours. The timing of peak activity favors Western Europe and eastern North America. Weather permitting, skywatchers in rural locations could see one or two shooting stars every minute during the peak.
Annual challenge
Each year, many factors combine to make the peak of this display difficult to observe.
Peak intensity is exceedingly sharp: meteor rates exceed one-half of their highest value for only about 8-hours (compared to two days for the August Perseids). This means that the stream of particles that produce this shower is a narrow one – apparently derived within the last 500 years from a small comet. As viewed from mid-northern latitudes, we have to get up before dawn to see the Quadrantids at their best. This is because the radiant – that part of the sky from where the meteors to emanate – is down low on the northern horizon until about midnight, rising slowly higher as the night progresses. The growing light of dawn ends meteor observing usually by around 7 a.m. So, if the "Quads" are to be seen at all, some part of that 8-hour active period must fall between 2 and 7 a.m. In one out of every three years, bright moonlight spoils the view. Over northern latitudes, early January often sees inclement/unsettled weather.
It is not surprising then, that the Quadrantids are not as well-known as some of the other annual meteor showers, but 2008 may prove to be an unusual exception.
Exception this year
According to the International Meteor Organization, maximum activity this year is expected on Friday 1:40 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
For those in the eastern United States, the radiant will be about one-quarter of the way up in the east-northeast sky. The farther to the north and east you go, the higher in the sky the radiant will be. To the south and west the radiant will be lower and the meteors will be fewer.
From Western Europe, the radiant will soar high in the east as the peak arrives just as morning twilight intervenes.
Quadrantid meteors are described as bright and bluish with long silvery trains. Some years produce a mere handful, but for favorably placed observers, this could be a shower to remember; at greatest activity, Quadrantid rates will likely range from 30 to 60 per hour for eastern parts of the U.S. and Canada, to 60 to 120 per hour for Western Europe.
Across central and western parts of North America, the shower's sharp peak will have already passed and meteor activity will be rapidly diminishing by the time the radiant has a chance to get very high in the northeastern sky. Nonetheless, hourly rates of perhaps 15 to 30 may still be seen.
The moon will be a waning crescent, not rising until after 4 a.m. and will add very little light to the sky.
Meteor showers are generally caused by debris from comets. Most of the "shooting stars" result from bits the size of sand grains, which vaporize as they streak through Earth's atmosphere.
source
Message edited 1/3/2008 8:57:19 PM.
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Posted 1/3/08 8:56 PM  |
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Stefanie
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Member since 5/05 23599 total posts
Name:
Stefanie
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
That's cool...but you won't see me out in this freezing cold weather staring at the sky! 
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| Posted 1/3/08 8:58 PM |
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KPtoys
I'm getting old
Member since 5/05 8688 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
too bad it's beyond frigid tonight!
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| Posted 1/3/08 8:58 PM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by Stefanie
That's cool...but you won't see me out in this freezing cold weather staring at the sky!
i'm a sucker for shooting stars...
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| Posted 1/3/08 8:58 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
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The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Watch...the on e night I actually pass out early....
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:00 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by MrsERod
Posted by Stefanie
That's cool...but you won't see me out in this freezing cold weather staring at the sky!
i'm a sucker for shooting stars...
what are you doing right now?
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:00 PM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by DebG
Posted by MrsERod
Posted by Stefanie
That's cool...but you won't see me out in this freezing cold weather staring at the sky!
i'm a sucker for shooting stars...
what are you doing right now?
typing this response 
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:01 PM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
oh, and uploading pics... 
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:02 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggg
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:04 PM |
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MrsMessina
Thankful for our miracles!
Member since 2/07 7254 total posts
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
I am going to try to watch this---
i actually had emailed the article to myself earlier this morning to try to remind myself. I just told DH and he told me he'll definitely stay up and pull out the video camera if I'm not up for staying up and going out in the cold.  
Such a good DH (sometimes )
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| Posted 1/3/08 9:14 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Just over an hour to go. I hope I make it...getting sleepy.
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:21 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
All h3ll is breaking loose on my job. I've been emailing back & forth all night. My personal day ended 27 minutes ago.
It's time for me to go to bed.
Christina - your job is to take photos of a falling star for us.
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:28 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
sooo close
but
not gonna make it 
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:55 AM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
eh...you stink
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| Posted 1/4/08 12:55 AM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by nrthshgrl
All h3ll is breaking loose on my job. I've been emailing back & forth all night. My personal day ended 27 minutes ago.
It's time for me to go to bed.
Christina - your job is to take photos of a falling star for us.
i'll do my best 
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:02 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
the sky is falling the sky is falling
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:11 AM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
it's a VERY clear night....not a cloud anywhere....should be interesting....only 20 more minutes...
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:23 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
10 more mintues!
Cloudy here though...I manage to make it up until t his time and just now check the sky
duh!
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:30 AM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by DebG
10 more mintues!
Cloudy here though...I manage to make it up until t his time and just now check the sky
duh!
Message edited 1/4/2008 1:33:19 AM.
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:31 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
you're a funnny lady this late.
LOL
ou going to try and take pictures?
maybe UPLOAD them?
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:35 AM |
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
It starts at 1 :40 am
5 more min.
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:36 AM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by DebG
you're a funnny lady this late.
LOL
ou going to try and take pictures?
maybe UPLOAD them?
yeah, right...
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:37 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
I just checked again, so cloudy here, can't see a star in the sky.
bummmmmmmer
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:39 AM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
go go go
I hope you guys see SOMETHING
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:40 AM |
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Re: Meteor Shower tonight....
Posted by DebG
I just checked again, so cloudy here, can't see a star in the sky.
bummmmmmmer
I just checked also. but BOY IS IT COLD!!!!
Mucho Frio'!!!!
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| Posted 1/4/08 1:41 AM |
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