Use Your Naked Eye Tonight! Meteor Shower

[Whatshername]

Memorial Day Weekend Meteor Shower Could Dazzle With 200 Meteors Per Hour On May 23rd, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — NASA announced the discovery of what could become a first ever meteor shower, the May Camelopardalids, delighting skywatchers with 200 meteors per hour for Memorial Day Weekend 2014, and potentially rivaling the Perseid meteor shower in August.

The expected meteor shower comes from the dust from comet 209P/LINEAR, but NASA is quick to admit it could also be a big disappointment. No one has ever seen it, so they just don’t know what it will do when Earth passes through.

NASA LIVE METEOR SHOWER COVERAGE FRIDAY NIGHT: Never-before-seen Meteor Shower On May 23rd, 2014

Bill Cooke from NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office said, “We have no idea what the comet was doing in the 1800s. The parent comet doesn’t appear to be very active now, so there could be a great show, or there could be little activity.”

WHEN IS THE METEOR SHOWER?

Peak viewing could be from 7:30 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday, with the best potential from 11 p.m.-1 a.m.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SPOT THE SHOWER?

Just your naked eye! Find a dark spot and look up!

Comet 209P/LINEAR was discovered ten years ago by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project that scans the skies for nearby objects.

The comet is dim, and only dips into Earth’s orbit every five years.

NASA Ames Research Center in the Bay Area played a role in predicting this week’s encounter.

Meteor experts Esko Lyytinen of Finland and Peter Jenniskens at Ames announced two years ago that Earth would go through the comet’s debris. The dust had been ejected by the comet clear back in the 1800s, but wouldn’t cross the orbit until this week.

Watch for the giraffe, they say.

“We expect these meteors to radiate from a point in Camelopardalis, also known as ‘the giraffe,’ a faint constellation near the North Star,” Cooke said.

As an astronomer, the event Friday is more than a little exciting.

“It’s a great opportunity to see a new meteor shower — an opportunity I want to see with my own eyes.”

I know I'll be making a wish or two!   ;)

[leanonme]

Cool! Thanks for the post. I will be looking up while drinking my cool aid! 

[Elixirbaby]

Got it. Get naked.

[SnowGlobe7]

Got it. Get naked.

[jobug38]

Will people in the middle of the US be able to see it?

[Wiljor]

Thanks WHN, being an avid sky watcher it will be Margaritas on the terrace tonight.

That's funny :-))))))

(+1) brother

[Whatshername]

Will people in the middle of the US be able to see it?

Timing:

11pm to 1am Pacific

12am to 2am Mountain

1am to 3am Central

2am to 4am Eastern

———————————————

 

Breakdown -

 

Southwest USA – Cloud cover along the Los Angeles and San Diego Coast looks like it will be present, thus the best place to go is inland to the mountain and desert zones. A passing front will bring mid/upper level clouds through California, leaving much of the state (excluding Southern) in the clouds, ruining the show.

Phoenix/Tucson AZ looks clear as well … With the storm providing a northeast wrap-around flow, those in the Las Vegas area might want to hit down I-15 passed the state-line and pull off for a better view. Chances are the city might have clouds in the way.

 

Pacific Northwest – A passing front today will clear out, leaving areas of clearing in the valley zones from Seattle to Portland. Areas in the higher terrains however near the coast and the Cascades will see low clouds due to residual moisture. The high deserts of WA looks clear, while the OR deserts looks cloudy.

 

Rocky Mountains – Southern MT looks good, as well as Eastern ID and Yellowstone National Park … however through much of the Denver areas and into New Mexico, the upper level low will continue shower/thunderstorm activity … thus ruining the show.

 

Southern Plains – Cloudy skies of much of the area will provide zero visibility.

 

Central Plains - Cloudy skies of much of the area will provide zero visibility.

 

Northern Plains – The Dakotas have mostly clear skies, as well as most of MN , excluding North where clouds will hang on …

 

Gulf States - No visibility, the exception being most of FL and Southern GA …

 

Great Lake States – Mostly clear skies looks to give great viewing conditions … with the state winning the United State’s most clearest skies for this event being Wisconsin. Low clouds from the lake will move into Northern IN and Southwest MI .. so go south or east to get away from those.

 

Northeast USA – Clouds will ruin the show from there into New England.

 

Mid Atlantic States – Carolinas look to have the best views in the center part of the states, with NC coming in behind the front at clear skies for Raleigh … Richmond, VA having clear skies as well as DC and Philly …

GOOD LUCK!

Hi Jobug! Here's a map... couldn't get it to post. 

http://beforeitsnews.com/space/2014/05/meteor-storm-us-visibility-cloud-cover-map-and-forecast-2479584.html

[Muleslayer]

I cannot remember the last time I was awake at 0 dark thirty.

I guess I will rely on you descriptions.

I of all people NEED my beauty sleep!

[leanonme]

Well I barely made it to 1:00. Lot's of cool aid. Didn't see anything.. 

[Wiljor]

Made it till 2am and I didn't see anything. The wife saw one but that was it.

[Man_Kind]

I'll be looking for Klingons from URANUS .  

[SnowGlobe7]

apparently so was elixer...          

[DinarCash]

<_<Cloudy overcast for us...