WEBVTT 00:20.353 --> 00:24.791 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5% DEAN: WELCOME TO STAR GAZERS. 00:24.891 --> 00:27.694 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% I'M DEAN REGAS, ASTRONOMER FROM THE CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY. 00:27.794 --> 00:31.698 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% JAMES: AND I'M JAMES ALBURY, DIRECTOR OF THE KIKA SILVA PLA PLANETARIUM IN GAINESVILLE 00:31.798 --> 00:33.166 align:left position:40%,start line:89% size:50% FLORIDA. 00:33.266 --> 00:36.302 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% THIS WEEK, WERE GOING TO ANSWER A QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR VIEWERS. 00:36.403 --> 00:38.038 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5% JOHN ZIMMERMAN OF NEW JERSEY. 00:38.138 --> 00:39.939 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5% WRITES: DEAR STAR GAZERS. 00:40.040 --> 00:44.344 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% IVE SEEN A LOT OF METEOR SHOWERS AND I ALWAYS WONDERED, WHY ARE SOME METEOR SHOWERS BETTER 00:44.444 --> 00:45.345 align:left position:35%,start line:89% size:55% THAN OTHERS? 00:45.445 --> 00:47.213 align:left position:10%,start line:89% size:80% DEAN: EXCELLENT QUESTION, JOHN! 00:47.313 --> 00:52.719 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% THIS WEEK OUR PLANET EARTH WILL INTERSECT WITH THE PATH OF AN ASTEROID NAMED 3200 PHAETHON 00:52.819 --> 00:56.656 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% AND WE'RE USUALLY TREATED TO WHAT CAN BE A VERY GOOD METEOR SHOWER. 00:56.756 --> 01:01.795 align:left position:70%,start line:83% size:20% JAMES: HOWEVER, THIS YEAR, OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOR IN SPACE IS GOING TO RUIN SOME OF THE FUN. 01:01.895 --> 01:02.962 align:left position:17.5%,start line:89% size:72.5% WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? 01:03.063 --> 01:04.831 align:left position:30%,start line:89% size:60% LET'S SHOW YOU! 01:04.931 --> 01:09.836 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% JAMES: TO ANSWER JOHNS QUESTION, A METEOR SHOWER OCCURS WHENEVER OUR EARTH RIDES DIRECTLY 01:09.936 --> 01:14.340 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% INTO A STREAM OF SPACE DEBRIS AND THE LITTLE PIECES OF DEBRIS SLAM INTO OUR EARTH'S UPPER 01:14.441 --> 01:17.377 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% ATMOSPHERE AND PRODUCE VISIBLE STREAKS OF LIGHT. 01:17.477 --> 01:20.914 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% WE CALL THESE STREAKS OF LIGHT, METEORS (OR SHOOTING STARS). 01:21.014 --> 01:26.052 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% DEAN: YOU SEE, EVERY TIME A COMET PAYS A VISIT TO THE SUN, IT SHEDS PART OF ITSELF. 01:26.152 --> 01:30.623 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% AND EVENTUALLY, AS THE COMET MAKES A LOT OF TRIPS TO THE SUN, THE ENTIRE ORBIT OF THE 01:30.723 --> 01:33.226 align:left position:82.5%,start line:89% size:7.5% COMET GETS LITTERED WITH COMET DEBRIS. 01:33.326 --> 01:39.732 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% AND WHENEVER OUR EARTH CROSSES A WELL-LITTERED COMETARY ORBIT, WE GET HIT WITH THIS STUFF, 01:39.833 --> 01:42.535 align:left position:75%,start line:89% size:15% AND EXPERIENCE WHAT WE CALL A METEOR SHOWER. 01:42.635 --> 01:46.940 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% JAMES: THE METEOR SHOWER WERE EXPERIENCING NEXT WEEK IS THE GEMINID METEOR SHOWER AND 01:47.040 --> 01:52.145 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% BACK IN 1983 IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE OBJECT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GEMINID METEOR SHOWER 01:52.245 --> 01:57.450 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% IS NOT AN ORDINARY COMET BUT AN ASTEROID OR PERHAPS BETTER NAMED A ROCK COMET. 01:57.550 --> 02:02.388 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% DEAN: AFTER A COMET HAS MADE A LOT OF TRIPS TO THE SUN, ALL ITS SNOW AND ICE EVENTUALLY 02:02.489 --> 02:05.892 align:left position:77.5%,start line:89% size:12.5% MELT AWAY, AND ONLY A SOLID CORE IS LEFT. 02:05.992 --> 02:11.698 align:left position:70%,start line:83% size:20% WE THEN CALL THAT SOLID COMET CORE AN ASTEROID, SINCE IT'S NO LONGER CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 02:11.798 --> 02:13.533 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65% A COMETARY DISPLAY. 02:13.633 --> 02:18.872 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% JAMES: THEREFORE, WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING HERE IS DEBRIS FROM A COMET SO OLD AND WORN 02:18.972 --> 02:23.409 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% OUT THAT IT NO LONGER HAS THE STUFF TO PUT ON ALL THE SHOW AND WONDER OF A BRILLIANT 02:23.510 --> 02:27.580 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% COMET HEAD WITH A LONG TAIL OF GAS AND DUST, SUCH AS COMET HALE-BOPP. 02:27.680 --> 02:32.485 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% SO, WHILE WE WILL NEVER, EVER AGAIN SEE A BRILLIANT COMET ASSOCIATED WITH THE GEMINID 02:32.585 --> 02:37.390 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% METEOR SHOWER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE GEMINID METEOR SHOWER ITSELF; WHICH IS 02:37.490 --> 02:42.462 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% ONE OF THE TWO BEST METEOR SHOWERS OF THE YEAR, THE AUGUST PERSEIDS USUALLY COMING IN 02:42.562 --> 02:44.297 align:left position:32.5%,start line:89% size:57.5% AS NUMBER ONE. 02:44.397 --> 02:49.135 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% JAMES: THIS YEAR THE PEAK OF THE SHOWER WILL OCCUR ON TUESDAY DECEMBER 13TH, AFTER DARK 02:49.235 --> 02:52.772 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% RIGHT THROUGH TO SUNRISE, WEDNESDAY MORNING DECEMBER 14TH. 02:52.872 --> 02:57.644 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% HOWEVER, UNLIKE PREVIOUS YEARS, THIS YEAR MIGHT BE A WASH OUT ON THE NIGHT OF THE PEAK 02:57.744 --> 02:59.946 align:left position:77.5%,start line:89% size:12.5% BECAUSE OF OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOR IN SPACE. 03:00.046 --> 03:01.814 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70% DEAN: THATS RIGHT JAMES. 03:01.915 --> 03:06.819 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% OUR EVER-POPULAR AND LOVELY NATURAL SATELLITE, THE MOON, WILL BE IN A BOTHERSOME LOCATION 03:06.920 --> 03:08.855 align:left position:12.5%,start line:89% size:77.5% IN ITS ORBIT THIS TIME AROUND. 03:08.955 --> 03:13.826 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% IT WILL BE IN THE WANING GIBBOUS PHASE, WHICH WILL PUT IT ABOVE THE HORIZON DURING THE BEST 03:13.927 --> 03:15.662 align:left position:25%,start line:89% size:65% PART OF THE SHOWER. 03:15.762 --> 03:19.532 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% JAMES: FORTUNATELY, THE GEMINIDS IS SUCH A DENSE METEOR SHOWER THAT IT USUALLY PUTS ON 03:19.632 --> 03:23.236 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% A GOOD SHOW FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE PEAK. 03:23.336 --> 03:28.441 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% SO BEGINNING AS EARLY AS DECEMBER 7TH TO AS LATE AS DECEMBER 21ST, YOU CAN SEE QUITE A 03:28.541 --> 03:32.111 align:left position:70%,start line:83% size:20% FEW METEORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SHOWER, WITHOUT INTERFERENCE BY THE MOON. 03:32.212 --> 03:37.951 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% DEAN: SO, TO FINISH ANSWERING JOHNS QUESTION, THIS IS A MAJOR REASON WHY SOME METEOR SHOWERS 03:38.051 --> 03:39.886 align:left position:20%,start line:89% size:70% ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. 03:39.986 --> 03:44.190 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% ALTHOUGH THE TIMING OF THE PEAK OF THE METEOR SHOWER STAYS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME EVERY YEAR, 03:44.290 --> 03:48.194 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% THE PHASE OF THE MOON IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT ON THE SAME DATE EACH YEAR. 03:48.294 --> 03:52.832 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% JAMES: THEREFORE, IF YOUR METEOR SHOWER IS RUINED BY A FULL MOON ON DECEMBER 13TH ONE 03:52.932 --> 03:57.470 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% YEAR, A YEAR OR SO LATER, THE MOON WILL BE IN A WAXING PHASE ON THAT SAME DATE, PUTTING 03:57.570 --> 04:02.075 align:left position:72.5%,start line:83% size:17.5% IT BELOW THE HORIZON DURING THE METEOR SHOWERS PEAK AND THUS MAKING THE FAINTER METEORS EASIER 04:02.175 --> 04:03.910 align:left position:40%,start line:89% size:50% TO SEE. 04:04.010 --> 04:07.280 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% DEAN: TO WATCH THE GEMINID METEOR SHOWER, GET COMFORTABLE IN A LAWN CHAIR OR SLEEPING 04:07.380 --> 04:11.117 align:left position:70%,start line:89% size:20% BAG AND CONSTANTLY SCAN THE SKY BACK AND FORTH. 04:11.217 --> 04:15.521 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% ITS GOOD TO BE FAR AWAY FROM CITY LIGHTS AND HAVE A CLEAR DARK SKY TO CATCH THE FAINTEST 04:15.622 --> 04:17.190 align:left position:35%,start line:89% size:55% OF METEORS. 04:17.290 --> 04:20.260 align:left position:77.5%,start line:83% size:12.5% JAMES: AND AGAIN, IT HELPS IF YOU CAN GET OUTSIDE BEFORE THE MOON COMES UP. 04:20.360 --> 04:25.131 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% DEAN: SO WATCH OUR EARTH IMPACT THE REMAINS OF AN ASTEROID OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. 04:25.231 --> 04:28.968 align:left position:75%,start line:83% size:15% JAMES: AND IT WILL BE SUCH A LOVELY IMPACT, PARTICULARLY IF YOU REMEMBER TO. 04:29.068 --> 04:33.068 align:left position:22.5%,start line:89% size:67.5% BOTH: KEEP LOOKING UP!