Waxing Gibbous Moon
The α-Centaurids Meteor Shower peaks today. This is a minor meteor shower only to produce about five visible meteors per hour and a waxing gibbous moon will shed a lot of light so only the brightest meteors will be seen. Occasionally any meteor shower can produce fireballs. It is quite common for people to think that the hefty bright fireballs they witness in the sky have thumped the Earth. Most bright meteors (a.k.a fireballs or bolides) seem to land, but infrequently do. Pieces of a recent fireball in Canada the size of a truck reached the ground and only meteorites the size of softballs were found scattered across the land. Most fireballs that we witness start out this size, so the likelihood that these meteors could withstand the heat before disintegrating in the atmosphere is extremely difficult.
Believe me, even I have seen huge fireballs that I could have sworn landed on my neighbor’s house, but they didn’t.
I should mention that a Meteor Gift Shop has been added to our site. They are great gifts for meteor shower enthusiasts and for children. It is my belief that meteors are not only cool to witness but also are an exciting educational experience for children. Even adults would be surprised to find out how much they don’t know about meteors. I welcome all to browse the shop and to ask questions on the site. If you don’t see something in our glossary or in the many posts about meteors on the site, please ask, I enjoy teaching and sometimes I learn from your comments and questions too!
In the meantime keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Feb 18th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
I saw something in the SSW sky on February 5th, 2009. Yellowish-orange and HUGE. I’m in Minnesota. Do you have any information on any meteors that night in my sky that night? Really curious. Thinking I am crazy and saw a UFO. It was at a stand still, did not move. Had a dusty-haze on it’s edges. Miles and miles away in the sky.
on Feb 19th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Elissa,
Thank for the comment. You are not crazy. Most likely this was the planet Venus. Look at this comment from one of our other visitors:
Venus
Keep your head up, it will be there tomorrow night too!
- Meteor Mark
on Feb 24th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Mark, thanks for your helpful site. I have learned a lot! Can you tell me if there are any meteor showers that occur yearly in March that can be seen in the U.S.? I have heard about the Virginids and Beta Leonids and wonder if they happen every year and can be seen in the U.S. I have heard there are some like the Gamma Normids that can only be seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Do you know which, if any, showers will occur in 2010 in March that can be seen in the U.S.? Thanks, I know these are a lot of questions!
on Feb 25th, 2009 at 3:19 am
Betsy,
The γ-Normids is a minor meteor shower that peaks March 13th. It will not produce great results. The next meteor shower the Lyrids is in April and will produce about 15 – 20 meteors per hour.
I do not believe there will be any mjor meteor shower activity in 2010 in March.
No problem with all the questions, I am glad I can help.
- Meteor Mark