[MIham] Geminid Meteors and a "Spiral Asteroid"

[Frank]

----- Original Message ----- Space Weather News for Dec. 12, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

GEMINID METEOR SHOWER: The Geminid meteor shower peaks this year on Dec. 
13th and 14th.  Forecasters say meteor rates could exceed 100 per hour for 
observers under dark rural skies.  For best results, start your meteor watch 
on Monday night, Dec. 13th, around midnight.  Keep an eye out for Geminids 
until sunrise on Tuesday, Dec. 14th. There's no special trick to seeing the 
Geminids.  Bundle up for maximum warmth, go outside, lie down and look up. 
Geminids can appear in any part of the sky, but all their tails will point 
back to the radiant in the constellation Gemini.  Check 
http://spaceweather.com for updates, images and a sky map.

SPIRAL ASTEROID:  Put this in the "weird" category.  Main belt  asteroid 
(596) Scheila has suddenly developed an apparently spiral-shaped tail.  The 
surprising structure might be a result of a recent asteroid-asteroid 
collision, or perhaps a sign that this asteroid is really a comet.  An image 
of Scheila is featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFT:  Would you like to put friends and family in closer 
touch with the night sky?  SpaceWeather PHONE makes a unique Christmas gift 
for the stargazer in your life.  More information at 
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