Posted on 12/12/2024 12:55:46 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: Based on its well-measured orbit, 3200 Phaethon (sounds like FAY-eh-thon) is recognized as the source of the meteoroid stream responsible for the annual Geminid meteor shower. Even though most meteor shower parents are comets, 3200 Phaethon is a known and closely tracked near-Earth asteroid with a 1.4 year orbital period. Rocky and sun-baked, its perihelion or closest approach to the Sun is well within the orbit of innermost planet Mercury. In this telescopic field of view, the asteroid's rapid motion against faint background stars of the heroic constellation Perseus left a short trail during the two minute total exposure time. The (faint) parallel streaks of its meteoric children flashed much more quickly across the scene. The family portrait was recorded near the Geminid meteor shower's very active peak on 2017 December 13. That was just three days before 3200 Phaethon's historic close approach to planet Earth. This year, the night of December 13 should again see the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, but faint meteors will be washed out by the bright light of the nearly full moon.
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Very cool!
Looks like the GEICO gecko ....
This is one of those 3D pictures where if you stare at it long enough, a 3D image appears, right?
3200 Phaethon: An asteroid-like body (round rock) with jets of yellowish gas coming out, and distant sun. Artist’s concept of asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Most asteroids are rocky or metallic, and they don't vent stuff into space. But 3200 Phaethon appears to be made of different materials from most asteroids. The sun might heat its surface so that gases inside it vaporize and vent into space. That might be how it sometimes brightens like a comet, and it might also dislodge small pieces of rocky debris ... That is, potential Geminid meteors! [Mysterious 3200 Phaethon: Parent to the Geminids | EarthSky | Posted by Deborah Byrd | December 11, 2024]Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ IPAC
3200 Phaethon: An asteroid-like body (round rock) with jets of yellowish gas coming out, and distant sun. Artist’s concept of asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Most asteroids are rocky or metallic, and they don't vent stuff into space. But 3200 Phaethon appears to be made of different materials from most asteroids. The sun might heat its surface so that gases inside it vaporize and vent into space. That might be how it sometimes brightens like a comet, and it might also dislodge small pieces of rocky debris ... That is, potential Geminid meteors! [Mysterious 3200 Phaethon: Parent to the Geminids | EarthSky | Posted by Deborah Byrd | December 11, 2024]Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ IPAC
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