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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
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In this comic, [[Randall]] lists three of the most spectacular astronomical sights: a {{w|Solar eclipse|total solar eclipse}}, an {{w|aurora}} (Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the south), and a {{w|Meteor shower|meteor storm}}. In 2017, the first two of these phenomena happened within weeks of each other for observers in much of the US - a coincidence that Randall celebrates. | In this comic, [[Randall]] lists three of the most spectacular astronomical sights: a {{w|Solar eclipse|total solar eclipse}}, an {{w|aurora}} (Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the south), and a {{w|Meteor shower|meteor storm}}. In 2017, the first two of these phenomena happened within weeks of each other for observers in much of the US - a coincidence that Randall celebrates. | ||
− | * '''Total solar eclipse''': The {{w|Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017|total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017}} was the first seen for decades in the {{w|contiguous United States}}. Randall already made [[:Category:Total Solar Eclipse 2017|several comics about this eclipse | + | * '''Total solar eclipse''': The {{w|Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017|total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017}} was the first seen for decades in the {{w|contiguous United States}}. Randall already made [[:Category:Total Solar Eclipse 2017|several comics about this eclipse]]. |
− | + | * '''Aurora''': Bar Alaska and perhaps parts of Maine, the aurora borealis is rarely visible from the continental USA. Randall bemoaned the fact he'd never seen one back in [[1302: Year in Review]] in 2013 - which also mentioned the 2017 eclipse. Randall likely finally saw it due to the [https://gizmodo.com/huge-solar-flare-disrupts-gps-satellites-1801838410 giant solar flares] in the week leading up to this comic. | |
− | * '''Aurora''': | + | * '''Meteor storm''': A meteor storm is more than just a shower - while the best typical shower gives you a meteor or two per every minute, a storm gives you meteors every few ''seconds'' or better. The {{w|Great Meteor Storm of 1833}} produced hundreds of thousands of meteors per hour. |
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− | * '''Meteor storm''': A meteor storm is more than just a shower - while the best | ||
In the title text, Randall suggests the next meteor storm could be 2034, probably because this is predicted to be [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/2007JIMO...35....5M a good year for Leonids]. | In the title text, Randall suggests the next meteor storm could be 2034, probably because this is predicted to be [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/2007JIMO...35....5M a good year for Leonids]. | ||
− | Randall then continues by saying that if he manages to see a {{w|supernova}} during the daytime, he will drop the goal for the meteor storm and call it 3 | + | Randall then continues by saying that if he manages to see a {{w|supernova}} during the daytime, he will drop the goal for the meteor storm and call it 3/3. This is because such an event is so unlikely that he hasn't even included it in his bucket list, and he would be happy to switch between the two types of events if he had the chance. A few stars, when they turn supernova, could be so bright that they can be seen during the day time here on Earth. The brightest supernova recorded in human history was {{w|SN 1006}} which was sixteen times brighter than {{w|Venus}} but still not bright as the full moon. {{w|SN 1054}} is an other example. When such a very rare event happen is impossible to predict. There is a [http://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/betelgeuse-will-explode-someday (very small) chance] that the giant star {{w|Betelgeuse}} will go supernova within Randall's lifetime<ref>More precisely, there is a very small chance that the light from this event will reach Earth and be visible during Randall's lifetime. Betelgeuse is estimated to be 640 {{w|light-year}}s from Earth, which means that its light takes 640 years to reach Earth.{{Citation needed}}</ref>, allowing him to tick this off the list too. Randall even mentioned that this could not happen soon enough in [[1644: Stargazing]]. Note that if you could see it during the day time, it would be the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon. |
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− | + | ==== Notes ==== | |
− | + | <references /> | |
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[There are three rows equally filled with squares and above are year dates beginning from 2002 until 2017. The first year | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | :[There are three rows equally filled with squares and above are year dates beginning from 2002 until 2017. The first year is cut on the left and the color is light gray then fading in to black until 2005. Left of the three rows the text reads:] | ||
:Total eclipse | :Total eclipse | ||
:Aurora | :Aurora |