The Leonid Meteor Storm - Understanding the Science
As I mentioned in my blog yesterday (February 17, 2019) a Leonid Meteor Storm is one of the top ten rarest and most amazing sky events. Understanding the significance of them, as well as when next to expect them, is part of being a good spiritual "watchmen" (Ezekiel 3:17).
Even in a normal year, the Leonid meteor shower is among the most spectacular of the annual meteor shower sky events. It typically ranges from 10-30 meteors falling per hour - which is still quite good compared to other annual meteor showers.
The Leonids rarely fall to such a degree as to be considered a meteor storm (to be considered a "storm", meteors must exceed 1000 meteors per hour), which is why this event is listed among the top ten most rare and amazing sky events. The most spectacular of all the Leonid Meteor Storms was in November of 1833, as I also explained in yesterday's blog.
Before I address the spiritual significance of this event, let's first look at the science behind it. Like the great "gears" on an epic clock, the Creator has put the star-events on their courses, with heavenly bodies meeting and interacting with one another in calculable precision.
The Leonid meteor shower, which happens every year in November, occurs when the Earth's orbit crosses the orbit of the Comet Temple-Tuttle.
The comet completes its orbit around the sun every 33.3 years, leaving a trail of dust rubble in its wake. While the Leonid meteor shower is an annual event, every 33 years it becomes even more intense as the comet 55P/Temple-Tuttle makes its closest approach to the Earth and Sun. When Earth's orbit crosses the trail of debris left by the comet, pieces of the comet fall toward our planet's surface.
The practical effect of this 33.3 year cycle is that once every 33 years, Earth encounters a high-density debris trail within the broader trail. This is what happened to cause the Leonid Meteor Storms which occurred in 1833, 1866, 1899, 1933, 1966, and 1999. However, it was not only the comets 33 year cycle which created the spectacular Leonid storm of 1833. A direct impact was involved that year, creating the super storm, in which the "stars" fell like "rain" and which-in all known history-is yet unequaled.
Calculating based upon this 33.3 year cycle, astronomers predict that the next major Leonid Meteor Storm will occur in 2031/2. But of course, since the 1833 event was also caused by a direct impact, it is possible that the Leonids could be extra spectacular before then as well.
Why does the Comet debris ignite? Air resistance, in our planet's atmosphere causes the comet's debris crumbs to heat up as they fall, igniting them into burning balls of fire, which we call meteors.
Typically, the debris crumbs from this comet are quite small, ranging in size from as small as a grain of sand to about the size of a pea. Because the debris is so small, it tends to burn up completely before reaching the Earth's surface. If a meteor does survive the whole fiery journey and manages to strike the Earth's surface, it is called a meteorite. But the small size of the debris from the Temple-Tuttle Comet means that the Leonid meteor shower is unlikely to deliver any meteorites.
The spiritual significance of the Leonid Meteor Storm is found both in plainly stated Scripture, as well as the placement of this meteor storm in the tapestry of the constellations. Tomorrow, I will pause in addressing the Leonids, long enough to write about tomorrow's super moon event. But I will show the placement and spiritual significance of the amazing Leonids in my February 20 blog (this coming Wednesday). The February 20 blog will conclude my examination of this sky event, which is among the top ten of the rarest and most amazing.
As I mentioned in my blog yesterday (February 17, 2019) a Leonid Meteor Storm is one of the top ten rarest and most amazing sky events. Understanding the significance of them, as well as when next to expect them, is part of being a good spiritual "watchmen" (Ezekiel 3:17).
Even in a normal year, the Leonid meteor shower is among the most spectacular of the annual meteor shower sky events. It typically ranges from 10-30 meteors falling per hour - which is still quite good compared to other annual meteor showers.
The Leonids rarely fall to such a degree as to be considered a meteor storm (to be considered a "storm", meteors must exceed 1000 meteors per hour), which is why this event is listed among the top ten most rare and amazing sky events. The most spectacular of all the Leonid Meteor Storms was in November of 1833, as I also explained in yesterday's blog.
Before I address the spiritual significance of this event, let's first look at the science behind it. Like the great "gears" on an epic clock, the Creator has put the star-events on their courses, with heavenly bodies meeting and interacting with one another in calculable precision.
The Leonid meteor shower, which happens every year in November, occurs when the Earth's orbit crosses the orbit of the Comet Temple-Tuttle.
The comet completes its orbit around the sun every 33.3 years, leaving a trail of dust rubble in its wake. While the Leonid meteor shower is an annual event, every 33 years it becomes even more intense as the comet 55P/Temple-Tuttle makes its closest approach to the Earth and Sun. When Earth's orbit crosses the trail of debris left by the comet, pieces of the comet fall toward our planet's surface.
The practical effect of this 33.3 year cycle is that once every 33 years, Earth encounters a high-density debris trail within the broader trail. This is what happened to cause the Leonid Meteor Storms which occurred in 1833, 1866, 1899, 1933, 1966, and 1999. However, it was not only the comets 33 year cycle which created the spectacular Leonid storm of 1833. A direct impact was involved that year, creating the super storm, in which the "stars" fell like "rain" and which-in all known history-is yet unequaled.
Calculating based upon this 33.3 year cycle, astronomers predict that the next major Leonid Meteor Storm will occur in 2031/2. But of course, since the 1833 event was also caused by a direct impact, it is possible that the Leonids could be extra spectacular before then as well.
Why does the Comet debris ignite? Air resistance, in our planet's atmosphere causes the comet's debris crumbs to heat up as they fall, igniting them into burning balls of fire, which we call meteors.
Typically, the debris crumbs from this comet are quite small, ranging in size from as small as a grain of sand to about the size of a pea. Because the debris is so small, it tends to burn up completely before reaching the Earth's surface. If a meteor does survive the whole fiery journey and manages to strike the Earth's surface, it is called a meteorite. But the small size of the debris from the Temple-Tuttle Comet means that the Leonid meteor shower is unlikely to deliver any meteorites.
The spiritual significance of the Leonid Meteor Storm is found both in plainly stated Scripture, as well as the placement of this meteor storm in the tapestry of the constellations. Tomorrow, I will pause in addressing the Leonids, long enough to write about tomorrow's super moon event. But I will show the placement and spiritual significance of the amazing Leonids in my February 20 blog (this coming Wednesday). The February 20 blog will conclude my examination of this sky event, which is among the top ten of the rarest and most amazing.
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Fascinating. Now I know just a little more about meteorites.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you would be addressing tomorrow's super moon event.
Looking forward to it!