11/15/2003: Leonids from space

Undertoad · 11-15-2003, 11:45 AM

The Leonid meteor shower has been a regular topic of conversation here. So someone (Belet? Spode?) sent along this interesting one of the Leonids - from space!

From the full story, this shot is a composite image from 1997's version of the shower.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-15-2003, 02:22 PM

Hey, that's what I see when I stand up too fast.
Cool picture, UT. Seeing things like meteors, lightning, hurricanes and such from space is a great way to put it all in perspective.

Nothing But Net · 11-15-2003, 08:37 PM

Are you sure? With all those projectiles flying around this picture might have been taken in South Philly on a Saturday night.

If I was on the spacecraft that took these I would be saying get the hell outtahere!

Elspode · 11-15-2003, 11:37 PM

I think I sent that one awhile back. I was really bummed out about having missed the *really* big Leonids in 2001. The peak didn't occur when it was advantageous to view it from Missouri, unfortunately. I spent about three hours outside last year at an obscene hour, though, and actually saw what was the closest to a meteor 'shower' that I've ever seen, when, during the peak time, my wife and I saw about a three minute flurry of meteors that probably hit a rate of about 60-70 per minute. Pretty cool, but a far cry from the thousands per minute seen in 1966 and 2001.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-16-2003, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Pretty cool, but a far cry from the thousands per minute seen in 1966 and 2001.

Wow, that must be really cool. I thought seeing one a minute for hours from the bottom of the Grand Canyon was great. Here's another time lapse.

ndetroit · 11-16-2003, 01:06 PM

so... uhh... how the hell do the space station/space shuttle/5000 satellites up there miss being pulverized during one of these storms?

Elspode · 11-16-2003, 02:31 PM

Because the vast majority of those meteoroids are the size of a grain of sand.

mrputter · 11-17-2003, 02:23 AM

Yeah, but going how fast?

I don't have access to the data right now (and am too lazy to look it up), but at any reasonable speed, even a grain of sand can cause significant damage...

11-15-2003, 11:45 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	11/15/2003: Leonids from space The Leonid meteor shower has been a regular topic of conversation here. So someone (Belet? Spode?) sent along this interesting one of the Leonids - from space! From the full story, this shot is a composite image from 1997's version of the shower.

11-15-2003, 02:22 PM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Hey, that's what I see when I stand up too fast. Cool picture, UT. Seeing things like meteors, lightning, hurricanes and such from space is a great way to put it all in perspective. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-15-2003, 11:37 PM	#4
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I think I sent that one awhile back. I was really bummed out about having missed the really big Leonids in 2001. The peak didn't occur when it was advantageous to view it from Missouri, unfortunately. I spent about three hours outside last year at an obscene hour, though, and actually saw what was the closest to a meteor 'shower' that I've ever seen, when, during the peak time, my wife and I saw about a three minute flurry of meteors that probably hit a rate of about 60-70 per minute. Pretty cool, but a far cry from the thousands per minute seen in 1966 and 2001. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

11-16-2003, 02:31 PM	#7
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Because the vast majority of those meteoroids are the size of a grain of sand. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

11-15-2003, 08:37 PM	#3
Nothing But Net Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 1,481	Are you sure? With all those projectiles flying around this picture might have been taken in South Philly on a Saturday night. If I was on the spacecraft that took these I would be saying get the hell outtahere!

11-16-2003, 01:06 PM	#6
ndetroit Master Locutor Join Date: May 2001 Location: vancouver Posts: 158	so... uhh... how the hell do the space station/space shuttle/5000 satellites up there miss being pulverized during one of these storms?

11-17-2003, 02:23 AM	#8
mrputter Superior Inhabitant Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 71	Yeah, but going how fast? I don't have access to the data right now (and am too lazy to look it up), but at any reasonable speed, even a grain of sand can cause significant damage...

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