PLANETARY SOCIETY, INDIA

(Reg Under A.P. Societies Registration Act, 2001)

P.O.BOX.NO.1361, HYDERABAD -28
Ref No.031208 Dated: 16th November, 2009

To
The Principal

INFORMATION NOTE
LEONID METEOR SHOWER
SKY FILLED WITH SHOOTING STARS
(WITNESS LEONID METEOR SHOWER THREE HOURS BEFORE SUNRISE
WITH NAKED EYES LOOKING TOWARDS EAST)

Away from city lights from 10th November, 2009 to 21st November, 2009
people can witness celestial spectacle of Leonid Meteor Shower from pollution
free dark skies few hours before sun rise towards East.

What is Meteor? A meteor is a shooting star (layman’s Language), space dust

about the size of a grain of sand. The dust hits the earth’s atmosphere and burns
up in a blaze of light.

Where does space dust come from? Comets and asteroids pass through our
solar system. These objects leave dust behind them. When earth crosses through
these dust clouds we see a meteor shower.

When a speck of this comet dust hits Earth's atmosphere traveling at

greater speed, it disintegrates in a bright flash of light—a meteor!

In case of meteors originating from comets When a comet flies close to the
sun, intense heat vaporizes the comet’s "dirty ice" resulting in high-speed jets of
comet dust that spew into interplanetary space.

Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle – The source/Parent body of Material for this shower:

comet Tempel-Tuttle is source body which during its passage intersects earth
orbit giving out the material which is responsible for this meteor shower. Trails laid
down by the comet passage in 1466 and 1533 are expected to be the chief
contributors to whatever happens this year.

The most recent perihelion passage of the Leonids' parent comet,

55P/Tempel-Tuttle happened in 1998. Though more than a decade ago now, the
shower's activity has continued to be fascinatingly variable from year to year.

Where to Look and What is Best Time to observe ?

The best time for observing this spectacle from India is after 3 a.m. on 18th Nov,09
when the constellation of Leo (a lion shaped pattern of stars) is sufficiently above
in eastern horizon. One has to look towards direction between North East and
East Direction.
 Why do they call this “Leonid” Meteor Shower? This Meteor shower is called
“Leonid Meteor shower” because location of shower radiant in the constellation
Leo i.e the meteors or streaks of light appear to stream from, in the background of
leo constellation in sky.

How Many Meteors are expected to be seen ?

As per the report of International Meteor Organization (IMO) on 17th Nov, 09 at
8.40 p.m LEONID Meteor shower will be at peak where more than 100 meteors
per hour are expected to be seen from dark skies.
However various Forecasts (including NASA) of the peak range from 100 to
500 meteors per hour—rating it somewhere between a "good show" and a "half
storm."
Observers in Asia are favored to see the brief but intense display. Thus
making it an interesting event of the year to observe particularly in India where the
conditions have been predicted to be better during the peak.

Society suggests observation from pollution free dark clear skies away from city
lights with good horizon for splendid experience. Further interested people can use
the Sky Maps from www.ournewplanets.com . Schools can request for Free
“School Kit” (containing PowerPoint,
maps, poster etc) Constellation of Leo (with Fig)
Constellation of Leo (without fig)

Prominent Achievements/Projects (2003-09): Student Astronaut (2003) visited JPL NASA,

European Space Agency Project (2004), Space Architects (2005-06), Space Simulators (2006),
Student astronomers (2006), A Cassini Scientist for a Day (2007), Moon Rover Project (2008),
Balshree Award (highest award given to a student by Govt. of India) was given to student of the
society Mr.Harith for 07-08, Meet the Scientist programme with support of NGRI, NRSC, CCMB,
A.P. State Council of Science and Tech. and NCSTC,DST, Govt of India. Visit
th st
Eastern Sky At 3 A.M. ON 18
www.ournewplanets.com November,
to know more. 2009. This map can be used until 21 Nov, 09.