Geminids in 2007
Credit & Copyright: Erno Berko
Posted on 01/03/2008 12:35:59 PM PST by sig226
Explanation: Dust from curious near-Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon seems to fall from the constellation Gemini in this fisheye skyview. The composite image was recorded over four December nights (12-15) just last year from Ludanyhalaszi, Hungary. Of course, the streaks are meteor trails from the annual Geminids meteor shower. The work of astronomer Erno Berko, the finished picture combines 113 different frames and captures 123 separate meteors. The Geminids is one of the northern skies most reliably performing meteor showers and did not disappoint last year. Under good conditions some skywatchers reported well over 100 meteors per hour near the December 14/15 peak for the Geminids in 2007. Look up tonight and you might see the 2008 Quadrantids.
Purty!
Sometimes the aurora has an appearance somewhat similar, as if it is a giant funnel in the sky right over your head and you are in the focus. Zap!
I have seen that once. Just once.
And it had six lobes to it, and was hexagonal in form.
Stunning. In Seattle, of all places.
Like looking into the business end of a flower.
The best I ever saw the Aurora was in northwest Ontario. The whole sky was alive. Reds, greens, and blues.
And I swear you could hear them sizzle. But that probably was just the skeeters, which were maneaters!
The Japanese are big on coming to Alaska to see the aurora. I don’t know how many actually get a good display during their visit, but each winter now about 5500 fly over direct charter to Fairbanks just for that. I make a point of checking the sky every night since I am out with the dog anyway, and this season has been kind of missing good aurora although we got comet Holmes and the Venus-Mars show fairly clear as well as the Geminids.
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