William Atkins
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 04:24
Science -
Space
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The peak of the Leonid meteor shower for 2009 is Tuesday, November 17. Asia has the best viewing for the Leonids, with up to 500 per hour. North Americans will be missing some of the action, with only a prediction of up to 30 per hour.
Every thirty-three years the Comet Tempel-Tuttle enters the inner part of our solar system. At this time, it begins to expel some of its materials as it gets closer to the heat of the Sun.
The pieces thrown off by the comet are only the size of sand grains or peas.
After Tempel-Tuttle leaves for the outer solar system, a debris stream is left behind. Over centuries several of these streams have formed in the solar system.
Many of these pieces end up crossing the Earth’s orbit, and we see that result in the middle part of November each year as the Leonid meteor shower.
When the meteors within the Leonids cross the path of the Earth, some of them hit the upper edge of our atmosphere. The air in front of these meteors is compressed and heated.
The heated air causes the meteors to reach temperatures up to 1,650 degrees Celsius (3,000 degree Fahrenheit).
And, we see them streaking across our darkened skies.
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