2009 Perseid Meteor Shower – Double Peaks This Year!

2009 Perseid Meteor Shower Preview by John Chumack

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Are you ready for this year’s Perseid Meteor Shower? What will be the best place to watch and when will be the best date to see the most “shooting stars”? Follow along and let’s find out…

The Perseid meteor shower has a wonderful and somewhat grisly history. Often referred to as the “Tears of St. Lawrence” this annual shower coincidentally occurs roughly about the same date as the saint’s death is commemorated on August 10. While scientifically we know the appearance of the shooting stars are the by-products of comet Swift-Tuttle, our somewhat more superstitious ancestors viewed them as the tears of a martyred man who was burned for his beliefs. Who couldn’t appreciate a fellow who had the candor to quip “I am already roasted on one side and, if thou wouldst have me well-cooked, it is time to turn me on the other.” while being burned alive? If nothing else but save for that very quote, I’ll tip a wave to St. Lawrence at the sight of a Perseid!

While the fall rate – the number of meteors seen per hour – of the Perseids has declined in recent years since Swift-Tuttle’s 1992 return, the time to begin your Perseid watch is now. The random rate has already increased sharply and there is no guaranteed that skies will be clear on the predicted peak time – traditionally August 12 at approximately 11:00 GMT. The tears of St. Lawrence are already beginning to fall! Let’s join John Chumack via his Northeast Sky Camera #2 in his backyard Observatory in Dayton, Ohio, USA, for a look. This 5 hour movie was compressed to 10 seconds for web viewing.

Says John, “The brightest one occurred when the radiant was low on the horizon around 1:27 a.m. This fireball was at around -8 magnitude or greater, even with all the strong moonlight, some of the meteors are very bright! This one had a double explosion too!”

Astronomers are now estimating a double peak this year for viewers in the eastern portion of North America on Wednesday morning the 12th of August 2009. One peak should occur around 1:00 a.m. EST and the other peak around 5:30 a.m. EST. However, let’s assume that not all of us can be in that place and be up at that time… So let’s take a more practical look at observing the Perseid Meteor Shower.

Perseid meteor activity begins about midnight no matter where you live, but they can happen earlier, too. Because we are also contending with a Moon which will interfere with fainter meteors, the earlier you can observe, the better. There is no harm in beginning Tuesday night before the Moon rises. The general direction to face will be east around midnight and the activity will move overhead as the night continues. While waiting for midnight or later for activity to pick up to begin isn’t a pleasant prospect, by then we are looking more nearly face-on into the direction of the Earth’s motion as it orbits the Sun, and the radiant – the constellation of the meteor shower origin – is showing well. However, it won’t be long until the Moon also begins to show very well, indeed! Put an obstruction such as the edge of a house or a tree between you and Selene… Even if you just open an umbrella, the very act of shielding some of the light will most certainly help you to see far more meteors than if you don’t. For those of you who prefer not to stay up late? Try getting up early instead!

How many can you expect to see? A very average and cautiously stated fall rate for this year’s Perseids would be about 30 per hour, but remember – this is a collective estimate. It doesn’t mean that you’ll see one every two minutes, but rather you may see four or five in quick succession with a long period of inactivity in between. You can make your observing sessions far more pleasant by planning for inactive times in advance. Bring a radio along, a thermos of your favorite beverage, and a comfortable place to observe from. The further you can get away from city lights, the better your chances will be. If you’re cloud out on the peak date, don’t stop watching – because activity continues on for several days!

Will this 2000 year-old meteor shower be a sparkling success or a total dud? You’ll never know unless you go out and try yourself. One thing we do know is the Perseids are one of the most predictable of all meteor showers and even an hour or so of watching should bring a happy reward! Wishing you clear skies and good luck…

Meteor Shower Alert on March 22! Camelopardalids and March Geminids Arrive…


On Sunday, March 22, two meteor showers will grace the dark evening sky – the Camelopardalids and March Geminids. Would you like to learn more about what makes them special and why? Then let’s head out into the dark…

We’ll start first with the Camelopardalids. These have no definite peak, and a screaming fall rate of only one per hour. They do have a claim to fame however – these are the slowest meteors known – arriving at a speed of only 7 kilometers per second and activity has been historically recorded on this date. Any bright streaks you might see belonging to the Camelopardalids will appear to emanate from the north. While this might seem rather boring, any member of the Camelopardalids you might spot are anything but boring. “A search for parent bodies for 22 short-period meteoroid streams with an account of long-period planetary perturbations was carried out. Five minor body complexes are found among short-period comets, Earth-crossing asteroids and meteoroid streams.” say Y.V. Obrubov, “There are ten members in the major complex : two comets, P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 and P/Pons-Winnecke ; four asteroids, 1984 KD (3671), 4788 PL, 1987 SJ3, 1987 PA…” So where does the stream for the Camelopardalids fit in? Try possibly asteroid Amor (1221) and/or asteroid Selevk (3288) as part of Complex 5.

1221 Amor is the namesake of the Amor asteroids – a group of near-Earth asteroids whose orbits range between those of Earth and Mars. Amor-types often cross Mars orbital path, but not Earth’s. However, on March 12, 1932, Belgian astronomer Eugene Delporte photographed Amor as it approached Earth to within 16 million kilometers (about 40 times the distance from Earth to the Moon). This was the first time an asteroid was witnessed so close to Earth and became our virtual wake-up call to potential hazards. Not surpising, 3288 Selevk is also a planet crossing asteroid, too. According to Obrubov’s research there are 22 meteoroid swarms from bodies with orbital period of less than six years that could account for up to 104 meteor showers – 72 of which have been confirmed either photographically or by radar. “The Camelopardalids has a twin – the Gamma Aurigids.” says Obrubov, “We may therefore assume that the remnants of the parent bodies have been found for two more meteor showers. The existence of complexes of minor bodies again raises the question of the possibility of the simultaneous existence of active comets and products of disintegration – meteoroid swarms and possibly asteroids of the Apollo, Amor and Aten groups…”

So, now we have meteors possibly coming from an asteroid, but what about the other meteor shower that occurs tonight? That’s right… the March Geminids. These were first discovered and recorded in 1973, then confirmed in 1975. With a much improved fall rate of up to 40 per hour, these slightly faster meteors will greatly increase your chance of spotting a shooting star. Like the Camelopardalids, the March Geminds are slower than average – but what causes them? Let’s turn to the work of Miroslav Plavec for an answer:

“In 1947, Whipple published new elements of the Geminid meteor shower, obtained photographically. An extremely short period, 1.65 years, moderate inclination and considerable eccentricity together make the orbit of this shower an extraordinary one both in comparison with comets and with minor planets. But, according to Hoffmeister, the existence of similar meteor showers seems to be indicated. Such a short-period meteor shower as the Geminids presents new aspects in meteor astronomy. Planetary perturbations are likely to play a great part in its nature. The study of secular perturbations is especially important, both in investigating the connection with comets, and also from the observer’s point of view; for example, Adams’ classical work on the Leonids.”

So, when do you start watching? Just as soon as the sky is good and dark at your local time. Use your own best judgement on where to loosely face based on the position of both Camelopardalis and Gemini at the time of your observation. (For most northern hemisphere locations, I would simply suggest facing roughly north and focusing your attention overhead.) Grab a friend, a blanket, a thermos… take your notes and a timepiece, too.

You can make an important contribution by observing when possible. Since the shower wasn’t reported until 1973 and confirmed by a high rate of activity 2 years later, scientists aren’t really sure if the Earth had passed through that particular particle stream until that time. By observing and reporting, even to sources like Universe Today, you are providing an invaluable Internet record to help determine if the stream is genuine. It the March Geminids truly are a viable annual shower, this trail might lead to an undiscovered comet.

If you wish to report your findings elsewhere, please visit the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) and locate the meteor observing tab. In these pages you will also find links to information from the North American Meteor Network (NAMN), and other things to assist you like charts to understand the meteor’s magnitude, the limiting magnitude of your location, and details for recording what you see and how to fill out an observation report. While it’s certainly true you may see absolutely nothing during an hour of observing, negative observations are also important. This helps to establish if the March Geminids should be considered an annual shower or not. You may also just happen to step outside at the right time and see a flurry of activity as well. Just remember…

When opportunity knocks, you’ve got to be there to open the door!

Exploding Colorado Fireball, 100 Times Brighter than the Moon (Video)

Cloudbait Observatory all-sky camera image of the bright explosion on Dec. 6th at 1:28 am MST. No larger image available (Chris Peterson)

[/caption]Last night, the Colorado skies played host to a dazzling fireball event. The meteor blasted through the atmosphere, detonated and outshone the Moon by 100 times. It is therefore expected that there were many eyewitnesses, and the Cloudbait Observatory (5 km north of the town of Guffey, CO) is appealing to people to report their accounts of the fireball. Fortunately, the observatory managed to capture an all-sky camera video of the early morning explosion.

The Colorado fireball comes shortly after a similar event over Canada on November 20th, where over two dozen meteorite fragments have been recovered from agricultural land. We wait in anticipation to see if this huge Colorado fireball produced any similar fragments, but eyewitness accounts will be critical to aid such a search…

In the early hours of this morning, a large explosion dominated the Colorado skies. It was yet another large meteor ploughing through the atmosphere, ending its journey in an energetic detonation. Fortunately this event didn’t suffer from the same affliction the Sudan 2008 TC3 meteoroid impact back on October 7th (i.e. lack of observers), and put on a show much like last month’s Saskatchewan fireball (and the October Ontario meteor). All in all, North America is having a great meteor season with no lack of observers, eye witnesses and all-sky cameras.

Discussing last night’s Colorado fireball, astronomer Chris Peterson describes the event: “In seven years of operation, this is the brightest fireball I’ve ever recorded. I estimate the terminal explosion at magnitude -18, more than 100 times brighter than a full Moon.”

Video of the Colorado fireball (Chris Peterson)
Video of the Colorado fireball (Chris Peterson)
Peterson was using video recorded by Cloudbait Observatory’s all-sky camera, dedicated to meteor spotting, when the surprise magnitude -18 burst lit up the skies.

Although the all-sky camera caught the fireball in the act, more information is needed about its location and altitude. There is every possibility that this fireball produced fragments that landed on the surface (much like last month’s Canadian fireball). For meteorite hunters to find these pieces, eye-witnesses need to contact the Cloudbait Observatory to file their reports.

Additional details of the event (from Cloudbait):
* Camera name: Cloudbait (map)
* Camera description: Cloudbait Observatory
* Camera coordinates: N38.786111 W105.483611
* Camera altitude: 2768 meters
* Total events for this site: 15906
* Event time: 2008-12-06 01:06:28 MST
* Image coordinates: (0.407,0.251) – (0.516,0.179)
* Azimuth: 79.8 – 117.9
* Altitude: ???
* Approximate duration: 1.0 seconds (28 video frames)
* Fireball: Yes

Source: Space Weather

Explosions on the Moon

Meteor strike on Moon recorded by Robert Spellman on August 9, 2008

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Meteor showers are great fun. The streaks and flashes create a special type of astronomical fireworks. But there are some people out there who enjoy meteor showers in a different way. They don’t watch the meteors. Instead, they watch the moon. There are fireworks there, too, in the form of explosions — equivalent to about 100 pounds of TNT — when meteors hit the lunar surface.

On August 9th, during the Perseid meteor shower, a couple of amateur astronomers fixed their cameras on the Moon and watched meteoroids slam into the lunar surface. Silent explosions produced flashes of light visible a quarter of a million miles away on Earth. It was a good night for “lunar Perseids.”

Meteor strike on the moon imaged by George Varros.
Meteor strike on the moon imaged by George Varros.

“I love watching meteor showers this way,” says George Varros, who recorded the impact shown above from his home in Mt. Airy, Maryland. The flash, which lit up a nighttime patch of Mare Nubium (the Sea of Clouds), was a bit dimmer than 7th magnitude, which Varros said was “an easy target for my 8-inch telescope and low-light digital video camera.”

Hours later, another Perseid struck, on the western shore of Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of Storms). This time it was Robert Spellman of Azusa, California, who caught the flash. “It’s exciting to witness these explosions in real time,” he says. “I used a 10-inch telescope and an off-the-shelf Supercircuits video camera.” Spellman has a website about his observations.

NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office watches the moon during meteor showers, too. Rob Suggs at the Marshall Space Flight Center and his team have recorded more than 100 lunar explosions since 2005. “We monitor lunar meteors in support of NASA’s return to the Moon,” Suggs says. “The Moon has no atmosphere to protect the surface, so meteoroids crash right into the ground. Our program aims to measure how often that happens and answer the question, what are the risks to astronauts?”

But NASA’s official lunar meteor observatories in Alabama and Georgia were both off-line on August 9, so the NASA team didn’t see how many Perseids were hitting the Moon that night.

“This shows how amateur astronomers can contribute to our research,” points out Suggs. “We can’t observe the Moon 24-7 from our corner of the USA. Clouds, sunlight, the phase of the Moon—all these factors limit our opportunities. A global network of amateur astronomers monitoring the Moon could, however, approach full coverage.”

Suggs hopes other amateurs will take up this hobby of watching the moon during meteor showers, not only to improve NASA’s lunar impact statistics, but also to support the agency’s LCROSS mission: In 2009, the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will intentionally dive into the Moon, producing a flash akin to a natural lunar meteor. Unlike natural meteoroids, which hit the Moon in random locations, LCROSS will carefully target a polar crater containing suspected deposits of frozen water. If all goes as planned, the impact will launch debris high above the lunar surface where astronomers can search the ejecta for signs of H2O. The impact flash (if not hidden by crater walls) and the debris plume may be visible to backyard telescopes on Earth. Here’s more details on the LCROSS impact.

If you’re interested in watching for meteor impacts on the moon, NASA has a FAQ page, and telescope tips.

News Source: Science@NASA

2008 Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks On August 12 – But Start Now!

Perseid Against Milky Way

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The Perseids are coming! The Perseids are coming! I’m sure you’re already hearing the cry around the world… But what will be the best place to watch and when will be the best date to see the most “shooting stars”? Follow along and let’s find out…

The Perseid meteor shower has a wonderful and somewhat grisly history. Often referred to as the “Tears of St. Lawrence” this annual shower coincidentally occurs roughly about the same date as the saint’s death is commemorated on August 10. While scientifically we know the appearance of the shooting stars are the by-products of comet Swift-Tuttle, our somewhat more superstitious ancestors viewed them as the tears of a martyred man who was burned for his beliefs. Who couldn’t appreciate a fellow who had the candor to quip “I am already roasted on one side and, if thou wouldst have me well-cooked, it is time to turn me on the other.” while being roasted alive? If nothing else but save for that very quote, I’ll tip a wave to St. Lawrence at the sight of a Perseid!

While the fall rate – the number of meteors seen per hour – of the Perseids has declined in recent years since Swift-Tuttle’s 1992 return, the time to begin your Perseid watch is now. While the peak of activity will not occur until August 12 at approximately 11:00 GMT, this will leave many observers in daylight. For those who wish only to observe during the predicted maximum rate, the place to be is western North America and the time is around 4:00 a.m. However, let’s assume that not all of us can be in that place and be up at that time… So let’s take a more practical look at observing the Perseid Meteor Shower.

For about the last week or so, I’ve noticed random activity has picked up sharply and traceable Perseid activity begins about midnight no matter where you live. Because we are also contending with a Moon which will interfere with fainter meteors, the later you can wait to observe, the better. The general direction to face will be east around midnight and the activity will move overhead as the night continues. While waiting for midnight or later to begin isn’t a pleasant prospect, by then the Moon has gone far west and we are looking more nearly face-on into the direction of the Earth’s motion as it orbits the Sun, and the radiant – the constellation of the meteor shower origin – is also showing well. For those of you who prefer not to stay up late? Try getting up early instead!

How many can you expect to see? A very average and cautiously stated fall rate for this year’s Perseids would be about 30 per hour, but remember – this is a collective estimate. It doesn’t mean that you’ll see one every two minutes, but rather you may see four or five in quick succession with a long period of inactivity in between. You can make your observing sessions far more pleasant by planning for inactive times in advance. Bring a radio along, a thermos of your favorite beverage, and a comfortable place to observe from. The further you can get away from city lights, the better your chances will be.

Will this 2000 year-old meteor shower be a sparkling success or a total dud? You’ll never know unless you go out and try yourself. I’ve enjoyed clear skies here for the last week and without even trying caught at least 15 per hour each night I’ve gone out. One thing we do know is the Perseids are one of the most predictable of all meteor showers and even an hour or so of watching should bring a happy reward!

Wishing you clear skies and good luck…

Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower Peaks

The awesome image of the meteor was taken by D. Polishook, N. Brosch, & I. Manulis (Tel-Aviv U., Wise Obs.), and Spacegaurd Israel and supplied by NASA.

Having the New Moon on our side may very well increase your chances of catching a well established meteor shower which is now reaching its peak activity time – the Eta Aquarids. No matter where you live or what time zone you observe from, the best time to look for the offspring of Halley’s Comet is over the next few nights during the hours just before dawn.

Although Comet Halley is located in the outer reaches of our solar system at the moment, its visit in 1986 wasn’t the one that left a particularly dense stream of material which may spark activity of up to 70 meteors per hour for lucky observers in the southern hemisphere. But don’t count yourself out if you live in the north! Around 4:00 a.m. the Aquarius constellation is beginning to rise low to the southeast and rates could be as proliferate as an average of one meteor every three or four minutes. Because the constellation of Aquarius is relatively low for northern observers, this means we have at least better chance of spotting those breathtaking Earth grazers!

Comet Halley is responsible for more than just the Eta Aquarids, however. Particles shed during the comet’s slow disintegration over the millennium are distributed along its orbit and Earth passes through these streams three times a year. The Eta Aquarid, the Beta Aquarids (both in May) and the Orionids (during October). When a piece of this debris enters our atmosphere, it is traveling about 66 kilometers per second and can shine as brightly as the stars (3rd magnitude) in the constellation from which it appears to originate.

Eta Aquarid RadiantAlthough meteors can appear from any point in the sky, your best northern skies bet will be to face generally southeast, gaze roughly halfway up the sky and get as comfortable as possible. A reclining lawn chair makes a wonderful meteor watching companion! Getting as far away as possible from city lights will also increase the amount of meteors you see, while just ordinary binoculars will help reveal the twists and turns of the faint trails invisible to the unaided eye. Don’t be discouraged if you’re clouded out or unable to view at this time. The most wonderful part about the Eta Aquarids are the fact that the stream is very broad and the peak activity is drawn out over a period of activity from April 21 until May 12. Around 3:00 a.m., the meteors will first begin penetrating the ionosphere and there is a possibility of strong trails which could last for several seconds. As Aquarius rises higher and dawn approaches, meteor activity is seen “face on”. Like driving through a snowstorm, the meteors will seem to come at you more quickly and give a more streak-like appearance. For those working on your Astronomical League Meteor Challenge lists, be sure to take notes!

Don’t let anyone discourage you from watching the Eta Aquarids if you have an opportunity. While it isn’t one of the most prolific showers of the year, it is very well established and dark skies will help tremendously during this apparition. It has been my experience over the last 20 or so years to at least see a few during an observing session and come away feeling very happy indeed that I took the time to look for Comet Halley’s children racing by.

Good luck and clear skies…

The awesome image of the meteor was taken by D. Polishook, N. Brosch, & I. Manulis (Tel-Aviv U., Wise Obs.), and Spacegaurd Israel and supplied by NASA.

Camelopardalid and March Geminid Meteor Showers Peak on March 22

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There’s another two odd meteor showers about to happen. It’s just after Full Moon. Why bother to take a look at the night sky when chances are poor of seeing a meteor? The reason is clear and the cause is confirmation.

On Saturday, March 22, two meteor showers will grace the moonlit evening sky. We’ll start first with the Camelopardalids. These have no definite peak, and a screaming fall rate of only one per hour. They do have one claim to fame however – these are the slowest meteors known – arriving at a speed of only 7 kilometers per second. Any bright streaks you might see belonging to the Camelopardalids will appear to emanate from the north.

Far more interesting will be to watch for the peak of the March Geminids. These were first discovered and recorded in 1973, then confirmed in 1975. With a much improved fall rate of about 40 per hour, these slightly faster meteors will greatly increase your chance of spotting a shooting star. Like the Camelopardalids, the March Geminds are slower than average and will seem to emanate from directly overhead at skydark. But don’t forget to start early before the Moon rises. The moonlight alone will reduce the number of meteors you see by a factor of about 10. The lunar influence causes fewer disturbances if it’s only a few degrees above the horizon, so you have a brief window of opportunity to study this particular stream.

You can make an important contribution by observing when possible. Since the shower wasn’t reported until 1973 and confirmed by a high rate of activity 2 years later, scientists aren’t really sure if the Earth had passed through that particular particle stream until that time. By observing and reporting, even to sources like Universe Today, you are providing an invaluable internet record to help determine if the stream is genuine. It the March Geminids truly are a viable annual shower, this trail might lead to an undiscovered comet.

If you wish to report your findings elsewhere, please visit the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) and locate the meteor observing tab. In these pages you will also find links to information from the North American Meteor Network (NAMN), and other things to assist you like charts to understand the meteor’s magnitude, the limiting magnitude of your location, and details for recording what you see and how to fill out an observation report. While it’s certainly true you may see absolutely nothing during an hour of observing at skydark, negative observations are also important. This helps to establish if the March Geminids should be considered an annual shower or not. You may also just happen to step outside at the right time and see a flurry of activity as well. Just remember…

When opportunity knocks, you’ve got to be there to open the door!

Meteor Blazed Above the Pacific Northwest Tuesday, February 19

Many lucky people in the Pacific Northwest United States got the treat of a lifetime on Tuesday morning. A bright fireball blazed across the sky at 5:31 am near Portland, Oregon. Apparently the meteor was so bright, people saw it in Washington, Idaho, and even as far away as British Columbia (hey, why didn’t I see it?).

Here’s a surveillance video captured by a camera in Boise, Idaho.

I often get emails from people who saw a bright fireball in the sky. When I’m done seething with jealousy, I suggest they contact their appropriate meteor society (for example, the American Meteor Society in the US) and report the details. Scientists working in this field will thank you.

So let me know, were you one of the lucky ones to see it? Post your story in the comments.

Meteor Shower Throws Over 100 Meteors per Hour

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With over 100 meteors per hour, the Quadrantid Meteor Shower is one of the latest mergers between Google and NASA, a major asset to space research due to their successful combination of ideas and plans. This peak shower began around 0200 UTC on Friday morning, January 4th, with the jet owned by the founders of Mountain View-based Google flying amongst big science players, such as the SETI research team.

To see this spectacular sight and to partake in a scientific mission, Google carried a team of NASA scientists and their high-technology instruments on board the Google owned Gulfstream V jet, which left the Mineta San Jose International Airport on Thursday late afternoon about 4:30 p.m. Plans were made for a ten-hour flight over the Arctic, returning to home base when the meteor shower mission was accomplished with the resulting data.

The GOOG Google.com Stock Message Board is full of the things that Google has been doing to improve the world—a real biggie was to develop a cheaper solar, wind power for Earth—excellent idea from a company whose corporate motto is to “do not be evil.â€? That plan involved the creation of a research group to develop energy sources that was a cheaper renewable alternative which focuses on solar, wind and any other forms of power through the Renewable Energy “Cheaper Than Coalâ€? project. And of course, lowering Google’s power bill was top of the list before anyone else as a huge incentive.

Last September, as most are aware of, NASA and Google had launched a $2.6 million dollar agreement to let the Google co-founders house their aircraft at Moffett Field while NASA was to be allowed to use it for their science work, such as that of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. Other prospective plans for Google are to hand out $30 million dollars to any company that successfully comes up with a plan to bring people to the moon. Another plan is to fund a space race through Google’s Lunar X Prize competition.

Original Source: NASA News Release

Meteoroids Carve Tunnels as They Burrow Through the Atmosphere

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Every day, material is raining down on the Earth. Fortunately, we’ve got an atmosphere to protect us. As the tiny particles impact the atmosphere, air piles up in front of them, heating up, and blazing a trail in the sky. That’s a meteor. According to a team of Japanese researchers, as the micrometeoroids rain down, they carve out tiny tunnels just a few millimetres across.

Astronomers used to believe that meteors opened up gaps in the atmosphere less than a metre across, but they weren’t exactly sure how wide they really were. But new observations from the powerful Subaru telescope located atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii have narrowed the size down to just a few millimetres.

Observing meteors with the Subaru telescope is actually very difficult. It was designed to observe deep space astronomical objects, nothing as close as the Earth’s atmosphere. This means that the meteor trails look blurry. Even observations of satellites look blurry. Despite the blur, the researchers were able to get their data.

Over the course of a 19-hour observation, 13 meteor tracks were observed. Scientists then carefully analyzed the images, to see how many photons were released as the meteor passed through the atmosphere. Based on the number of photons they detected, the researchers were able to calculate that the trails are just a few millimetres across.

Original Source: Subaru News Release