100 Things I've Learned - As I Learn Them #1

[rabid1st]

Today, I learned about the Lyrid Meteor Shower. What are they? Fragments of ice and rock from a comet. They fall to earth around this time every year, Wikipedia tells me from April 16 to April 26, and they hit the atmosphere at a rate of about 20 an hour. They may be seen most readily this Saturday or Sunday night, when the show reaches peak performance. This year the peak coincides with a new moon, so there will be great viewing, if you have clear skies.

Lyrid comes from Lyra, the constellation, the lyre of Orpheus, but the meteors are the remains of a comet called Thatcher. <<--Named for the discover A.E. Thatcher, not for the former British Prime Minister, a.k.a. The Iron Lady.

Thanks to lostrack621 giving me a link in the comments, you and I can learn lots more about this meteor shower and other Final Frontier stuff at http://www.spaceweather.com

Here is a three minute video on this meteor shower...which was linked from that website...

To Learn More About the 100 Things Challenge...go here...http://jdbracknell.livejournal.com/165714.html

Comments

[lostrack621.livejournal.com]

Check out www.spaceweather.com -- it's a great site and there is lots of info on the Lyrid meteor shower, as well as other cool spacey happenings! (sunspots, aurora, etc.)

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

You are saying I could learn even more? HEE! Thanks for the tip. I will look at the website.

[lostrack621.livejournal.com]

Yeah, totally! The website is friendly for scientists (like me) and for non-science people. I love the pictures that they collect - the aurora ones are so beautiful! Totally awesome.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

The website led me to an informative little video, which I have now embedded.

[bailunrui.livejournal.com]

I LOVE your 100 things idea! SO COOL!

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Thank you. As I said, I love yours, too.

[keswindhover.livejournal.com]

Hmpf, missed it. Luckily it is described as relible but unspectacular, so I don't feel completely cheated:

http://www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I feel a strange sense of kinship with anything described as reliable, but unspectacular. :grin:

[keswindhover.livejournal.com]

Oh, pshaw.