Some are taking protective action. The Hubble Space Telescope will be turned to angle its optics away from the incoming particles. The celestial show caused by the showers will be visible this year across the Western Pacific and Asia. In 1999, the showers will be visible in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Storms can last 90 minutes to two hours.
Some scientists say the odds of satellite damage are low.
But scientists can't predict the risk posed by the particles. Aerospace Corp. Military satellites are better off because they are built to withstand a nuclear attack. But unlike their commercial counterparts, they can't go off the air, Tagliaferri said.