by APOD Robot » Mon Oct 08, 2018 4:14 am
Comet 21P Between Rosette and Cone Nebulas
Explanation: Small bits of this greenish-gray comet are expected to streak across Earth's atmosphere tonight. Specifically, debris from the
eroding nucleus of
Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner, pictured, causes the annual Draconids meteor shower, which peaks this evening.
Draconid meteors are easy to enjoy this year because meteor rates will likely peak soon after sunset with the
Moon's glare nearly absent. Patience may be needed, though, as last month's
passing of 21P near the Earth's orbit is
not expected to increase the Draconids' normal meteor rate this year of (only) a few meteors per hour. Then again, meteor rates are notoriously hard to predict, and
the Draconids were quite impressive in
1933, 1946, and
2011. Featured,
Comet 21P gracefully posed between the
Rosette (upper left) and
Cone (lower right) nebulas two weeks ago before
heading back out to near the orbit of
Jupiter, to return again in about
six and a half years.
[url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181008.html] [img]https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_181008.jpg[/img] [size=150]Comet 21P Between Rosette and Cone Nebulas[/size][/url]
[b] Explanation: [/b] Small bits of this greenish-gray comet are expected to streak across Earth's atmosphere tonight. Specifically, debris from the [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150203.html]eroding nucleus[/url] of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21P/Giacobini%E2%80%93Zinner]Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner[/url], pictured, causes the annual Draconids meteor shower, which peaks this evening. [url=http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-draconid-meteor-shower]Draconid meteors[/url] are easy to enjoy this year because meteor rates will likely peak soon after sunset with the [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161216.html]Moon's glare[/url] nearly absent. Patience may be needed, though, as last month's [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180918.html]passing of 21P[/url] near the Earth's orbit is [url=https://www.amsmeteors.org/2018/10/meteor-activity-outlook-for-october-6-12-2018/][i] not [/i] expected to increase[/url] the Draconids' normal meteor rate this year of (only) a few meteors per hour. Then again, meteor rates are notoriously hard to predict, and [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111019.html]the Draconids[/url] were quite impressive in [url=https://www.imo.net/docs/ellison_1933_draconids_storm_account.txt]1933[/url], 1946, and [url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213230937/http://www.imo.net/draconids2011results]2011[/url]. Featured, [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180823.html]Comet 21P gracefully posed[/url] between the [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170214.html]Rosette[/url] (upper left) and [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130806.html]Cone[/url] (lower right) nebulas two weeks ago before [url=https://www.calsky.com/?Comets=&sec=3&step=1&number=21P]heading back[/url] out to near the orbit of [url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/jupiter/overview/]Jupiter[/url], to return again in about [url=https://www.petful.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/lonely-cat.jpg]six and a half years[/url].
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