Quoting Patrick Wiggins <paw@trilobyte.net>:

Speaking of meteors, Sunday night during the Mars Watch at SPOC a meteor passed through Orion and left a train that was easily visible to the naked eye for over 6 minutes.

Would that be a freight train or passenger train? For some reason, I can't see you standing still for 6 minutes... ;)

Anyone here see it from somewhere other than SPOC?

I actually had about 6 catch my eye as I was driving back home Sunday night. Even on I-215 with all the light pollution these 6 caught my attention. I can't recall ever having that happen before.

Hi friends, here's an interesting item from NASA. I told the lady who called about the email comments and this article, and she suggested I write a short item. I think I will, because it's kind of interesting. Best wishes, Joe http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/03nov_taurids.htm PS -- If I pick up anything for my article from the newslist, I'll make sure to mention Cyn this time. I feel bad that I didn't mention her or where to find the archive last time, as she does such an amazing job for Utah astronomy.

--- Joe Bauman <bau@desnews.com> wrote:

Hi friends, here's an interesting item from NASA. I told the lady who called about the email comments and this article, and she suggested I write a short item. I think I will, because it's kind of interesting. Best wishes, Joe <snip>

The source of the Taurids is Comet 2P/Encke. Kronk's Page on Comet 2P/Encke http://cometography.com/pcomets/002p.html Wikipedia on Encke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Encke Last passage of Comet Encke was on: 0.26 AU from Earth on 2003 November 17 which probably explains why this year's Taurids have some good fireballs. NASA's Near Earth Object program has a simulation generator that renders illustrations of comet orbits by typing in the number, e.g. "2P" or "55P". http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits/ Recall that in Nov. 2001, there was a particularly strong Leonid shower - pretty close to a storm - following the passage of it's parent comet, Comet 55P Temple-Tuttle. http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_18nov01_page2.html http://www.mreclipse.com/Meteors/Leo01/Stolovy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonids - Canopus56(Kurt) __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com

Would this be referred to as a "Taurid affair"? ;) Doh! Quoting Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com>:

--- Joe Bauman <bau@desnews.com> wrote:

...

Hi friends, here's an interesting item from NASA. I told the lady who called about the email comments and this article, and she suggested I write a short item. I think I will, because it's kind of interesting. Best wishes, Joe <snip>

The source of the Taurids is Comet 2P/Encke.

Kronk's Page on Comet 2P/Encke http://cometography.com/pcomets/002p.html Wikipedia on Encke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Encke

Last passage of Comet Encke was on: 0.26 AU from Earth on 2003 November 17

which probably explains why this year's Taurids have some good fireballs.

NASA's Near Earth Object program has a simulation generator that renders illustrations of comet orbits by typing in the number, e.g. "2P" or "55P".

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits/

Recall that in Nov. 2001, there was a particularly strong Leonid shower - pretty close to a storm - following the passage of it's parent comet, Comet 55P Temple-Tuttle. http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_18nov01_page2.html http://www.mreclipse.com/Meteors/Leo01/Stolovy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonids

- Canopus56(Kurt)

__________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com

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