MSGID: 1:153/757.0 4ba76466
TZUTC: -0800
CHRS: LATIN-1 2
                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 December 12

                              Phaethon's Brood
        Image Credit & Copyright: Mikiya Sato (Nippon Meteor Society)

   Explanation: Based on its well-measured orbit, 3200 Phaethon (sounds
   like FAY-eh-thon) is recognized as the source of the meteoroid stream
   responsible for the annual Geminid meteor shower. Even though most
   meteor shower parents are comets, 3200 Phaethon is a known and closely
   tracked near-Earth asteroid with a 1.4 year orbital period. Rocky and
   sun-baked, its perihelion or closest approach to the Sun is well within
   the orbit of innermost planet Mercury. In this telescopic field of
   view, the asteroid's rapid motion against faint background stars of the
   heroic constellation Perseus left a short trail during the two minute
   total exposure time. The (faint) parallel streaks of its meteoric
   children flashed much more quickly across the scene. The family
   portrait was recorded near the Geminid meteor shower's very active peak
   on 2017 December 13. That was just three days before 3200 Phaethon's
   historic close approach to planet Earth. This year, the night of
   December 13 should again see the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, but
   faint meteors will be washed out by the bright light of the nearly full
   moon.

                    Watch: The 2024 Geminid Meteor Shower
                        Tomorrow's picture: deep sky
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-7
 * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)
SEEN-BY: 19/10 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/305 134/100 153/135 143
SEEN-BY: 153/148 151 757 6809 7083 7715 218/700 840 221/1 6 360 226/30
SEEN-BY: 227/114 229/110 114 206 307 317 400 426 428 664 700 705 240/1120
SEEN-BY: 266/512 282/1038 291/111 301/1 113 812 320/219 322/757 335/364
SEEN-BY: 341/66 342/200 396/45 460/58 256 1124 633/280 712/848 902/26
SEEN-BY: 5020/400 1042 8912 5054/30 5075/35
PATH: 153/757 221/6 301/1 460/58 229/426