(meteorobs) Lunar Impact of Lyrid Meteor Shower

CHRISTINECissy at aol.com CHRISTINECissy at aol.com
Fri Apr 21 02:17:34 EDT 2006


Source: _http://spaceweather.com_ (http://spaceweather.com) 
April 20, 2006
 
The Moon will also encounter Comet Thatcher's dusty tail on April  22nd, 
(source of the
annual Lyrid meteor shower), which raises an interesting possibility:  
Amateur astronomers may be able to spot flashes of light on the Moon when comet  
debris hits the lunar surface and explodes. All that's required is a backyard  
telescope and lots of patience.
 
Want to try?  Train your telescope on the dark side of the Moon, which rises 
around 3 a.m. on  Saturday: _sky map_ 
(http://spaceweather.com/images2006/22apr06/skymap_north.gif) . Lyrids will be raining down on the northern  third of 
the visible disk. In the eyepiece, watch for fleeting, point-like  flashes. 
Better yet, let a video camera do the watching for you. Brian Cudnik,  who 
coordinates _amateur observations_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-impact/)  
of lunar impacts for the  Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, 
explains _how_ (http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/alpo/lunarstuff/observing)  at:  
_http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/%7Erhill/alpo/lunarstuff/observing_ 
(http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/alpo/lunarstuff/observing) 
Best wishes,
Chris



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