Monday, June 10, 2013

Possible Rare Meteor Shower (Picture of the Day: 6/10/13)

A meteor from the Perseid shower. Source
 
A couple of scientists, most notably a fellow named Peter Jenniskens, believe that we could be in for a rare treat tomorrow morning. The Gamma Delphinids meteor shower, which hasn't been seen in over eight decades, could be returning with as many as two meteors every minute (that's a lot, if you were wondering). This meteor shower was first seen on June 10, 1930, but it hasn't been seen for a long time now. There are some theories going around that this meteor shower is caused when Earth travels into the debris field of a previously unknown comet that traveled through our solar system a long, long time ago.
If you want to see this meteor shower, be looking into the southern sky at the Delphinus constellation at around 8:28 UT, 1:28 a.m. PDT, 4:28 a.m. EDT and cross your fingers. It will help to be there a little early as the time of the shower is not known. There is also a very good chance that nothing will happen, so don't be disappointed.
For more information, check out this article.


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