[petuniasevan]

For more info on the Leonids, see the 11-05-02 APOD. The shower may be spectacular on the morning of the 19th.

Astronomy Fun Fact:

Meteor showers are a result of the Earth passing through comet dust. The Leonids (named for their radiant - apparent point of origin - in Leo) are dust grains from comet Temple-Tuttle. The meteor storm forecast for 11-19-02 in the AM is debris left by Temple-Tuttle's 1866 pass around the sun. As the comet's orbit is 33 years, so is that of the debris. Earth intersects some dust each year but only occasionally will it get into the "good stuff". Usually this is about every 33 years, give or take a few.

[petuniasevan]

[MozartLover]

bump

[RightWhale]

Interesting how the colors of the stars are accentuated. Ektachrome slide film does a fine job of accentuating star colors. Most stars are yellow, white, blue, or red, but supposedly there is a green one out there somewhere.