Tag Archives: saturday

Peak of Geminid Meteor Shower and Shooting Stars Set for Friday night to Saturday

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overview

  • The annual Geminid meteor shower is scheduled to peak Friday night and early Saturday.
  • It is usually one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year.
  • Stargazers can also look for Jupiter and three bright star formations known as the Winter Triangle.

Stargazers may have something to look forward to this weekend, as the annual Geminid meteor shower peaks Friday night into early Saturday morning.

The meteor shower has been going on all month, but the number of shooting stars is expected to increase into the weekend, especially after midnight Friday and in the pre-dawn darkness. According to NASA.

The Geminid meteor shower can be seen in the northern and southern hemispheres, but a nearly full moon could wash out some faint shooting stars in this year’s show.

Still, the Geminid meteor shower is typically one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year, so when conditions are clear, skywatchers can spot bright meteors streaking the night sky. You can do that.

Under ideal sky viewing conditions, with no bright moonlight and little interfering light pollution, you can see as many as 120 Geminid meteor showers per hour.

The Geminid meteor shower was observed in Mumbai, India on December 14, 2017.
Pratik Chorge / Hindustan Times / Getty Images File

As their name suggests, Geminid meteors appear to stream from the constellation Gemini, but skywatchers should be able to see the shooting stars without looking directly into the constellation.

NASA experts suggest lying on your back with your feet facing south to enjoy the Geminid meteor shower. It is best to choose a dark viewing location, away from city lights and other light pollution.

Unlike most other meteor showers, which are caused by comet debris that has burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, the Geminid meteor shower is the remains of an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon.

If you’re planning on checking out the meteor shower this weekend, be sure to also look for Jupiter in the night sky. The planet lies between the nearly full moon and the brightest reddish-orange star in the constellation Taurus, called Aldebaran, and is visible to the naked eye.

Meanwhile, all winter long, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere also have the chance to spot the Winter Triangle, a three-bright star formation. This celestial triangle, consisting of Sirius in the constellation Canis Major, Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor, and Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, stands out in the winter sky.

To see the Winter Triangle, first look for the three stars that make up Orion’s distinctive band. A little below and to the left of the belt is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. From there Procyon is a little higher and to the left. Betelgeuse can be seen by looking back toward the constellation Orion, and the shoulder of the constellation appears red.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Spotting a harmless asteroid passing close to Earth this Saturday: What you need to know.

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This weekend, there will be a passing asteroid near Earth, which poses no threat. With the right equipment and timing, you may be able to catch a glimpse of it.

The asteroid, known as 2024 MK, will be at its closest point to Earth on Saturday morning, passing at a distance about three-quarters of the way from Earth to the moon. It was first spotted two weeks ago by an observatory in South Africa and measures approximately 393 to 853 feet (120 to 260 meters) wide.

According to Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, smaller objects pass by Earth regularly. Asteroids of this size come close to Earth roughly every 25 years.

“We may witness this event a few times in our lifetime, but it’s not a common occurrence,” he noted.

The 7,579-foot (2,310-meter) asteroid made a safe pass near Earth on Thursday, but it was too distant to be visible without specialized telescopes.

To see the asteroid on Saturday, skywatchers will need small telescopes as it won’t be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. It will move swiftly across the southern sky, making it challenging to spot.

Nick Moskovitz, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, mentioned, “The asteroid will move rapidly through the star field.”

For the best chance of seeing the asteroid, observers in the Southern Hemisphere should look high overhead. People in the US may have better luck spotting it on Saturday night when it might be less bright, but easier to see without the sun’s glare.

If you miss this event, mark your calendars for April 13, 2029, when the asteroid Apophis will pass close to Earth and be visible to the naked eye from parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Millions at Risk Following ‘Super Saturday’ Scam: Science & Technology News Provides Tips

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Millions of mobile phone users have been warned about possible text scams in the run-up to Christmas, reaching a peak today on what has been dubbed “Super Saturday.”

The BT-owned EE network says cybercriminals are trying to take advantage of the busy last-minute shopping season to carry out delivery-style scams that suggest packages are waiting to be dropped off or have been delayed. He said there is a possibility.

This technique tricks recipients into clicking a link that unknowingly installs malware (malicious software) or leads them to a phishing page designed to collect personal or financial data. There is likely to be.

EE said it had successfully blocked around 3 million SMS scams sent to customers’ mobile phones on this day last year.

The company expects to stop up to 5 million such scams this month. It also announced that it has blocked more than 45 million fraudulent texts so far in 2023.

EE said in a statement: “December’s most common SMS scams were delivery-related, as shoppers scrambled to organize their packages at the last minute in time for the holidays.”

“These include missed delivery or tracking text scams that prompt customers to click on a link that gives criminals the opening they need to steal consumer data and money.”

image:
Photo: Alamy

The company is urging consumers to be wary of scams, especially in the coming weeks, as the stress of preparing for the holidays can “impair your judgment and make you less alert.”

read more:
Booking.com customers warned of ‘well-designed scam’
Scammers’ tactics are becoming increasingly complex – here’s what to watch out for
UK launches charter to fight fraud, false advertising and romance scams

Johnny Bunt, director of regulation at BT Group’s consumer arm EE, said: “Super Saturday is set to be the busiest day of the year for mass retailers.”

“With deliveries piling up on doorsteps, scammers will be looking for ways to capitalize on the festive enthusiasm.

“As one of the UK’s front lines against SMS scam texts, we have a clear picture of the threat level here at BT and EE, and we have already seen an alarming spike in delivery fraud in particular.”

We’re sharing some tips to help you stay safe from scams.

• Never click on links in text from unknown sources.
• Trust your intuition. If something is questionable, there is probably a catch.
• Keep your device software up to date
• Never give out your bank account details, passwords, or security codes on linked websites.
• If you receive a call from your bank, consider calling back on the published number or using the 159 service.
• If someone calls you as scheduled, if in doubt, hang up and call back to a trusted number.
• If you receive a suspicious text, please forward the number and incident to 7726 toll-free for investigation by your mobile phone provider.
• Once reported, block the number and notify others about the scam to avoid falling victim to it.

Source: news.sky.com