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Spectacular Geminid Fireball!

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posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 05:16 AM
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Hello ATS. Just a short one.

Nasa has released a video of a Geminid flaring brighter than the Moon. I'm struggling to post the nasa video so i'll post the youtube version.




this spectacular Geminid lit up the sky above Cartersville, Ga., at 2:29 a.m. EST on the morning of Dec. 14. This is one of the brightest fireballs observed by the NASA network of meteor cameras in over 4 years of operation. (NASA/MSFC/MEO)


I would love to see one in the flesh but for now, i'll settle for youtube videos.


I could do with one of them fireballs landing in my chiminea...I can't get the bloody thing to light!


NASA
edit on 15-12-2012 by SilentE because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 05:19 AM
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I saw 8 within an hour period last night. amazing! one sailed through the air for something like... 3 seconds! It was magnificent.

Going to watch in an hour or so, when it peaks.



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 05:38 AM
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Originally posted by WorShip
I saw 8 within an hour period last night. amazing! one sailed through the air for something like... 3 seconds! It was magnificent.

Going to watch in an hour or so, when it peaks.


Aaah maaan! I wanna see some!

Where abouts are you? Any chance of recording some?



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 05:48 AM
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reply to post by SilentE
 


New Zealand!

Good idea... I'll try! Only have a crappy digital camera though. Hopefully it doesn't cloud up.

it's 2am, heading out now.
edit on 15-12-2012 by WorShip because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 08:30 AM
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GUTTED! I never get to see these spectacles. I either hear about them too late or there's cloud cover.
I'd love to have been witness to the event that created them. I bet that was sme show!



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 09:59 AM
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Originally posted by WorShip
I saw 8 within an hour period last night. amazing! one sailed through the air for something like... 3 seconds! It was magnificent.

Going to watch in an hour or so, when it peaks.

I was out at 11:00 PM on the night of the 13th (taking the dog out for the "last pee" of the night). I was outside for no more than 10 minutes and saw 4 meteors, all in the northern part of the sky. The last three were quick streaks last only a fraction of a second, but the first ones was great -- it started about 45 degrees above the horizon, heading directly toward the horizon. It was so bright that it was still visible through some relatively thick trees.

Heading in the direction it did (starting high in the sky, then away from me toward the horizon), it had the very interesting appearance as if it was heading straight down to the ground -- although I know it was just an illusion caused by its direction toward the horizon and my point-of-view. It wasn't heading "down", but rather staying high in the atmosphere, and moving away from me.



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 11:42 AM
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If I heard correctly there was also a comet tail the night of the Geminid shower, I saw streaks from 2 different directions, some heading East to West, others heading NE to SW...it was the best display of meteors I've ever been witness to. I am in the Midwest USA and the skies were crystal clear...



posted on Dec, 15 2012 @ 04:52 PM
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Originally posted by ScytheofTime
If I heard correctly there was also a comet tail the night of the Geminid shower, I saw streaks from 2 different directions, some heading East to West, others heading NE to SW...it was the best display of meteors I've ever been witness to. I am in the Midwest USA and the skies were crystal clear...


Most meteor showers are associated with a parent comet, but that comet is not necessarily anywhere close to the Earth during the time of the shower. Instead, the Earth passes through a part of the comet's orbit. Comet's are dirty, and leave behind a bunch of dust and shall rocky debris as they orbit -- so the entire orbital path of a comet is littered with this stuff. As Earth passes through during its trip around the Sun (passing through the same spot in the solar system once per year) it passes through this area littered with comet debris. That's what causes a meteor shower.

Like I said, the comet does not need to be anywhere near the earth -- we are simply passing through a path left behind possibly years agao. For example, the annual "Orionids" meteor shower that happens every October is associated with the dust of Halley's Comet, even though Halley's Comet hasn't passed through the inner solar system in a long time -- the last time being 16 years ago.

However, interestingly enough, the Geminids is thought to be semi-unique in that the parent body associated with it is NOT a comet, but is instead an asteroid -- namely Asteroid 3200 Phaeton (the Quadratids meteor shower in early January is another thought to be associated with an asteroid instead of a comet). 3200 Phaeton does exhibit some characteristics of a comet, but it does not have a tail like a comet. Some refer to it as a "rock-comet".

Asteroid 3200 Phaeton takes about a year and a half to obit the Sun. Right now, it is out beyond the orbit of Mars, but its orbit does bring it in toward the Sun. Its orbit is littered which dust -- dust that the Earth is currently passing through, thus causing the meteor shower.




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