meteors & meteor showers

8/6/2019 Meteors & Meteor Showers

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Meteors & Meteor ShowersMeteors & Meteor Showers


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The DifferencesThe Differences

Meteoroid, Meteorite, Meteor???Meteoroid, Meteorite, Meteor???MeteoroidMeteoroid- - small, solid body moving withinsmall, solid body moving within

the solar system.the solar system.MeteoriteMeteorite- - solid remains of a meteor thatsolid remains of a meteor thatfalls to the Earth.falls to the Earth.

Meteor Meteor- - (shooting star)(shooting star)- - bright trail of lightbright trail of lightcreated by small solid particles enteringcreated by small solid particles enteringthe Earths atmosphere & burning upthe Earths atmosphere & burning up


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Meteor FactsMeteor FactsMeteors (meteoroids) are the debris associated with comets or Meteors (meteoroids) are the debris associated with comets or asteroidsasteroidsWhen a meteoroid enters the Earths atmosphere & becomes aWhen a meteoroid enters the Earths atmosphere & becomes ameteor, it is traveling at 60meteor, it is traveling at 60- -70 km per second!70 km per second!On a given night (with favorable conditions), you can see 1 meteor On a given night (with favorable conditions), you can see 1 meteor every 15 minutesevery 15 minutesThe typical size of a meteor that produces a visible streak of lightThe typical size of a meteor that produces a visible streak of lightranges from about the size of a grain of sand to the size of a smallranges from about the size of a grain of sand to the size of a smallpebble! (average weight is only around 1 gram!)pebble! (average weight is only around 1 gram!)FireballsFireballs (large, brilliant meteors) are periodically seen (these may(large, brilliant meteors) are periodically seen (these mayweigh up to several kilograms or more).weigh up to several kilograms or more). BolidesBolides are fireballs thatare fireballs that

explode with a thunderous sound.explode with a thunderous sound.See for yourself:See for yourself:http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/images/18nov01/varros1_mhttp://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/images/18nov01/varros1_movie.gif ovie.gif (Fireball)(Fireball)http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/images/18nov01_page3/Ponhttp://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/images/18nov01_page3/Ponder1.MPGder1.MPG (Bolide)(Bolide)


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Why do meteors have a streak of Why do meteors have a streak of

light??light?? As they travel through our atmosphere, As they travel through our atmosphere,meteors collide with air molecules thatmeteors collide with air molecules thatknock away materials and strip electronsknock away materials and strip electronsfrom the meteorfrom the meteorWhen the stripped atoms recaptureWhen the stripped atoms recaptureelectrons, light is emittedelectrons, light is emitted

The color of the light depends on theThe color of the light depends on thetemperature and the material beingtemperature and the material beingexcited.excited.


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Are all meteors the same color?? Are all meteors the same color??

The material or element that makes up aThe material or element that makes up ameteor is the main factor that determinesmeteor is the main factor that determines

the color of its glowing trailthe color of its glowing trail-- Sodium = orangeSodium = orange- -yellowyellow-- Iron = yellowIron = yellow

-- Magnesium = blueMagnesium = blue- -greengreen-- Calcium = violetCalcium = violet-- Silicon = redSilicon = red


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Sporadic MeteorsSporadic Meteors

These are the meteors that can be seenThese are the meteors that can be seenon any given nighton any given night

They are not associated with anyThey are not associated with anyparticular meteor shower particular meteor shower

They come from random directions in theThey come from random directions in theskysky


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Meteor ShowersMeteor Showers

Heavy displays of meteors that recur from year Heavy displays of meteors that recur from year to year to year Caused by small fragments of comet debrisCaused by small fragments of comet debris

entering the earths atmosphere at extremelyentering the earths atmosphere at extremelyhigh speedswhen the Earths orbit & thehigh speedswhen the Earths orbit & thecomets orbit intersect at some pointcomets orbit intersect at some pointShower meteors come from the same generalShower meteors come from the same general

point in the skypoint in the skyTheThe radiantradiant of a shower is the point in the skyof a shower is the point in the skyfrom which the meteors appear to comefrom which the meteors appear to come


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Meteor Showers (cont.)Meteor Showers (cont.)

Meteor showers are usually named for theMeteor showers are usually named for theconstellation in which their radiant lies atconstellation in which their radiant lies atthe peak of the showerthe peak of the shower

Ex.: Perseid shower = PerseusEx.: Perseid shower = Perseus

Ex.: Leonid shower = LeoEx.: Leonid shower = LeoEx.: Geminid shower = GeminiEx.: Geminid shower = Gemini


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Specific Meteor ShowersSpecific Meteor ShowersMeteor showers occur on a regular basis throughout the year, butMeteor showers occur on a regular basis throughout the year, butnot all are visible in the northern latitudes & some are very weaknot all are visible in the northern latitudes & some are very weakand easily go unnoticedand easily go unnoticedSome of the more impressive showers throughout a given year are:Some of the more impressive showers throughout a given year are:

Shower Shower Avg. Peak Avg. Peak-- QuadrantidsQuadrantids early Januaryearly January-- LyridsLyrids mid Aprilmid April-- PerseidsPerseids early/mid Augustearly/mid August-- OrionidsOrionids mid/late October mid/late October -- LeonidsLeonids mid November mid November

-- GeminidsGeminids mid December mid December ** Historically, the Perseids in August & the Leonids in November ** Historically, the Perseids in August & the Leonids in November have been the most impressive meteor showershave been the most impressive meteor showers - -http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/images/18nov01_page3/http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/images/18nov01_page3/cordiale1.movcordiale1.mov


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Thats AllThats All


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3 Questions3 Questions1. True/False: The material or element that makes up a1. True/False: The material or element that makes up a

meteor is the main factor that determines the color of meteor is the main factor that determines the color of the glowing trail left behindthe glowing trail left behind

TrueTrue

2. This major meteor shower has a peak time around2. This major meteor shower has a peak time aroundearly/mid August:early/mid August:a. Geminidsa. Geminids b. Leonidsb. Leonidsc. Orionidsc. Orionids d. Perseidsd. Perseidsd. Perseidsd. Perseids

3. What is the point in the sky from which all of the meteors3. What is the point in the sky from which all of the meteorsseem to come during a shower called?seem to come during a shower called?

Radiant Radiant


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ReferencesReferences

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/mehttp://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/meteors/showers.htmlteors/showers.html

http://www.skyhttp://www.sky- -watch.com/meteor.htmlwatch.com/meteor.htmlhttp://hometown.aol.com/theleonids/http://hometown.aol.com/theleonids/http://www.geocities.com/~starwanderer/mhttp://www.geocities.com/~starwanderer/m

eteor.htmeteor.htmhttp://www.meteorobs.org/showers.htmlhttp://www.meteorobs.org/showers.htmlhttp://www.amsmeteors.org/showers.htmlhttp://www.amsmeteors.org/showers.html

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