Tehachapi News

All > Columns
The Perseids did not disappoint
Topics:
Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 265 times
0 responses 0 comments The Perseid Meteor Shower was splendid, as advertised. I saw well over a hundred meteors on the morning of the thirteenth. However, nearly half did not seem to radiate from Perseus, but were instead random meteors that you might see on any night. Most of the Perseid meteors came in bursts of several within a few seconds. A couple were bright enough to be called “fireballs” that leave a lingering trail of glowing debris.

It's interesting to note that most of the meteors that we see are in fact glowing as they pass through extremely thin air about 200 miles up. That's about how high the space shuttle and space station operate! And you thought it was empty space up there. In fact, our atmosphere thins out gradually and wisps can even be detected past the moon.

Meteors are well known for streaking at great speed across the heavens. But what if one were coming straight at you?  You would see a new pinpoint of light that would brighten very rapidly, then wink out — either because it burned up or blew your eyeball out! (Don't worry; the odds are very much in your favor.) I've only seen that happen twice in my life, and the second time was last week!  What a treat.

Many communities have organized gatherings for observing the Perseids and other astronomical events. I think it's about time we started an astronomy club for the Tehachapi Valley. If you're interested, please let me know at hawk@ieee.org.

Manned Space Watch
Endeavor is to have completed the addition of a new truss to Space Station Alpha. Another milestone was reached when Endeavor started drawing power from the station, allowing her stay to be extended by three days. She is now scheduled to depart the station on Monday and touchdown on Wednesday morning at 9:48 a.m. Tehachapi time.

Being able to supply power to visiting ships is an important step in creating a real spaceport. When a captain arrives at a port, he expects to hook up to “shore power” and turn off his engines. However, we still have quite a ways to go: A captain and crew also expect to be able to get fuel, repairs, fresh food and other supplies. And let us not forget the critical need for a seedy space ranger's bar! More modules will be added onto the station every other month for the next year; but I don't see a “lounge module” on the list. All in good time, I trust.

As this article goes to press, NASA is still deciding whether to have the crew fix a gouge in Endeavour's protective tiles caused by a flying piece of ice during launch. They say it's not a matter of safety for the crew, but more a matter of avoiding the need for extensive repair when she get's home.

A good opportunity for sighting Space Station Alpha will come on Wednesday evening, Aug. 22. The station will approach from the west-northwest at 8:43 p.m., rise to 51 degrees above the southwestern horizon, and disappear in the south-southeast two minutes later.

Night Sky Watch
The moon will dominated the evening sky this week, culminating in a splendid lunar eclipse on Tuesday morning, Aug. 28. This is expected to be the best total lunar eclipse of the decade (if you don't insist that it occur in the evening). Such an eclipse occurs when the earth passes between the moon and the sun. The moon is cast in ruddy light of all of the combined sunrises and sunsets on earth. The moon will be about thirty degrees above the horizon, providing a rich opportunity for photographers.

The eclipse will begin at 1:51 a.m., reach totality at 2:52 a.m., which will last for about ninety minutes, and end at 5:24 a.m., about an hour before sunrise.
The Perseid Meteor Shower has passed its peak, but a few meteors can still be seen in the early morning hours through Friday, Aug. 24.

Jupiter commands the evening southern sky, outshining all but the moon.

Sunrise/Sunset (PDT)
6:19 a.m./7:33 p.m.

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation