[MIham] Weekend Meteor Shower

[Frank]

Space Weather News for Dec. 12, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

WEEKEND METEORS: Earth is entering a stream of debris from extinct comet 
3200 Phaethon, and this is causing the annual Geminid meteor shower.  The 
shower is expected to peak on Dec. 13th and 14th.  Normally, as many as 100 
meteors per hour shoot out of the constellation Gemini, but this year a 
bright Moon will interfere with the display, reducing hourly counts to only 
20 or so. That's could still be a nice show.  For best results, watch the 
sky from 10 pm local time on Saturday night (Dec 13th) until dawn on Sunday 
morning (Dec. 14th).

BIGGEST FULL MOON OF THE YEAR:  The Moon that's causing trouble for the 
Geminid display happens to be biggest full Moon of 2008, as much as 14% 
wider and 30% brighter than lesser Moons we've seen earlier this year. An 
astronomer would say this is a "perigee Moon" because it occurs at perigee, 
the side of the Moon's elliptical orbit closest to Earth. Go outside tonight 
and take a look.  The meteor rate may be low, but the lunar beauty index is 
off the charts.

Check http://spaceweather.com for updates and more information.