Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The first meteor shower of 2013 peaks early Thursday.
Don't blink, you might miss the first meteor shower of the year. The high-powered Quadrantids meteor shower should peak just before dawn Thursday with a maximum number of meteors per hour of about 80. The meteor shower is expected to "last only a few hours," according to NASA.com. The meteors are believed to be a piece comet that broke apart centuries ago. The fragments will enter the Earth's atmosphere at 90,000 mph, burning up 50 miles above Earth's surface, according to NASA. But Mother Nature may make it difficult to see the meteors in Lake Forest. According to the National Weather Service, there will be increasing clouds tonight turning into a mostly cloudy day tomorrow. If clouds don't obscure the meteor shower, the glowing moon may …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, is on its way – with no moon to obscure the show.
The Geminid meteor shower 2012, the final major meteor shower of every year and likely to be the best, peaks overnight Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, and you may be able to see a great show on either side of those dates. If you liked the Perseids meteor shower 2012 in August, you should love this show. NASA reports that the Geminids are a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sitings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over the decades the rates have increased, regularly spawning between 80 and 120 per hour at its peak on a clear evening. How spectacular is it? Just take a look at this video of the Geminid meteor shower. You can also look at some spectacular photos of the Geminids. Earthsky.org reports the Geminids peak …
Friday, November 16, 2012
The Leonid meteor shower will peak on Nov. 17 and Nov. 20.
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Friday, November 16, 2012
Keep your eyes on the sky during the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 17-20, because that's when the famous Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak. These meteors are fast (about 40 miles per second) and can leave trails of smoke, according to Astronomy.com. They will appear to radiate from the constellation Leo the Lion and can vary in color. "Many Leonids are also bright. Usually, the meteors are white or bluish-white, but in recent years some observers reported yellow-pink and copper-colored ones," according to Astronomy.com. Our best bets for meteor watching in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff are Sunrise Beach in Lake Bluff and Forest Park Beach, Deerpath Park, and Townline Park (kids can take advantage of the new playground there) in Lake Forest. …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Look to the skies for some stunning light displays this November and December.
As you hang holiday lights and light holiday candles, cast your gaze upon the universe's natural fireworks, as well. A thin crescent moon in 2012 will provide for dark nights and early morning light to enhance this year's North Taurid meteor shower display that peaks early Monday, Nov. 12, but some stragglers will appear for several more days, according to EarthSky.org. To see the showers, look for the moon and Venus in the east. Space.com reports the best time to see the Taurid meteors, or, "Halloween fireballs," started Nov. 5 and peaks on Monday, as the moon diminishes in brightness each night. Ten to 15 yellow-orange meteors may appear per hour each night and appear to move very slowly, according to Space.com. Astronomers anticipate …
