[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) Re: Speed of Meteors
David and All,
The velocity of the meteors we see in our sky depends on the angle at
which the meteoroid (the meteor out in space) encounters the Earth. The
Leonids for instance are moving in a direction opposite that of the
Earth and strike our planet nearly head-on from the opposite direction.
Therefore Leonids have very high velocities as seen from Earth. The
Geminids though encounter the Earth from the side, simplistically
speaking. This is only half the force of the head-on collisions
experienced by the Leonids therefore the Geminids exhibit roughly half
the velocity of the Leonids.
The slowest meteors actually move in the roughly same direction as the
Earth and actually have to "catch up" to our planet. A good example of
these are the June Bootids and the October Draconids.
Remember that these velocities are atmospheric or meteor entry
velocities and not the velocity these meteoroids exhibit in space.
I hope this helps!
Bob Lunsford
David Stine wrote:
> To anyone, especially Esko, Robert, Rob, Peter, Joe,
>
>
>
>
>
> Could you explain to me why different meteor showers/storms produce
> different speeds of meteors. For example why are the Geminids more than
> twice as slow as the Leonids. The earth travels through the different
> streams at the same rate of speed doesn?t it, so what causes the meteors
> to have different speeds. I just never have heard an explanation for
> this.
>
>
>
> Thanks for your help and Geminids to all.
>
>
>
> David Stine
>
The archive and Web site for our list is at http://www.meteorobs.org
To stop getting all email from the 'meteorobs' lists, use our Webform:
http://www.meteorobs.org/subscribe.html
References: