The next meteor shower starts June 22nd and it’s called the June Bootids. The June Bootids radiant is the constellation Bootes. It won’t be as active as the Perseids Meteor Shower coming in August, however one never really knows how strong a meteor shower will be unless they get out and view it. The best time to look with the greatest chance of seeing meteors from the Bootids meteor shower is during the peak, which occurs on Sunday morning June 27th. Now that school is out for the kids and it’s summer for some of you; why not enjoy a late night or early morning viewing session under a warm summer’s night sky? Summer is the best time to watch for meteors or treat the kids to a pre-dawn meteor shower viewing experience.
So when and where is the best time to see the June Bootids?
I commonly get asked the following questions: When and where should one look to see meteors? Meteors can be seen anywhere in a dark sky, so I suggest looking to the darkest area in the sky and then tracing the backward path of the first meteor you see to it’s radiant. A meteor shower’s radiant is the point where the meteors will seem to emanate from. For the June Bootids meteor shower the constellation is Bootes and for viewers in the northern hemisphere it is located in the western sky and is higher on the horizon for those of living north of the equator. Although this meteor shower won’t be very active and unfortunately to add to this shower’s lack of activity the moon will be practically full; thus shedding a lot of light into sky, it is still worth the effort to get out there and look.
What is the cause of this meteor shower?
At this time of year annually, the orbital dust from the comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke is the root source for this event. The Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke orbits our Sun once about every six years or so and reached its perihelion in September of 2008 (the perihelion is when a planet, comet or asteroid is closest to the Sun in its orbit) so maybe, just maybe a heavier dust/meteoroid trail will cause some added activity. Having stated this, due to the nature of unpredictability of meteor showers, viewers should observe with a positive frame of mind. This shower is very unpredictable but it has been known to have some huge outburst in the past.
In 1998 and 2004 the June Bootids had some remarkable outbursts reaching up to one hundred meteors per hour (100 ZHR). Like I said, please don’t anticipate this same type of activity because of the brightness of the Moon.
Before I depart out to view some meteors and tell you to keep your head up, here is a meteor shower fact: Did you know that meteor showers are one of the most unsystematic, unpredictable and volatile astronomical happenings? To this day scientists have great difficulty forecasting the strength and voracity of meteor showers.
If you’ve enjoyed the post, why not buy me a cup of coffee so I can stay awake whilst gazing up to the sky!
In the meantime bookmark the site, join the newsletter and keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 5th, 2010 at 5:41 am
Hello Mark, and welcome back to meeee lol! happy be-lated birthday!! how have you been?
first off i would like to say thank you so much for giving us a chance to view the most magnificent FREE show at night to be entertained with loved ones (you hardly get anything free now and days) so thank you for keeping us posted. Also, about “June Bootids” shower, whats a good time to view it for us Eastern people? You said early morning of 22nd but whats the best time?
on Jun 7th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Yesenia,
Hello and thank you for the birthday wishes! I have been well and especially busy now that the meteor viewing season is coming back. The June Bootids Meteor Shower is an extremely weak meteor shower so the best time for most people is before dawn when it is still dark on June 22nd. You may want to review the Meteor Shower Viewing Page on my site as there are some articles, blogs and information that can help everyone.
Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 11th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Awesome. Thank you. and you’re welcome!
i have another question, for showers to come….. which one would you recommend that will be the strongest shower, not later than 3am, and perfect for EST?
on Jun 11th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Yesenia,
I’m not sure I understand your question, but the strongest meteor shower in the next few months will be the Perseids which occurs in August.
Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 11th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Okay good, making sure so i can write that down and not miss it. I was also asking what time, and day will the strongest (in this case the shower in august) will be seen for EST, since i start university in august and my boyfriend is working (i wouldn’t wanna go to the beach alone lol) i would like to take him with me so we can really enjoy the shower together and probably have more people with us. Would you happen to know what time is best to view the august meteor shower for Eastern Time? and what day?
on Jun 11th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Yesenia,
The shower will peak August 12th. I will be posting a lot on the Perseids next month. Please look at the meteor shower viewing page on my site. You will see it in the upper right hand corner. There is a lot of information that applies to people all over the world.
Once we get closer to the shower, I will be able to pin point a better more accurate time for everyone, but it’s only June, haha!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 22nd, 2010 at 1:19 am
Thank you for your informative article. I was unaware that the June Bootids Meteor Shower was occurring. I witnessed a very fast, small, white in color, meteor from the WSW to NE, 1:30 (-4 UT), 6/22/10, 34 N 84 W.
Thanks for helping me finish a great day that began with a early morning viewing of Comet McNaught, Jupitor w/ 4 moons, some sunrise snapshots, followed by an evening session of Saturn and the Moon, and top it off w/ a meteor shower.
Thanks Geoff
on Jun 22nd, 2010 at 9:34 am
Geoff,
Thanks for sharing your sighting. I was unable to see Comet McNaught from where I am located, it was too low on the horizon. There is a better meteor shower coming in August.
Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 23rd, 2010 at 10:09 am
Wow! Thanks for making my new hobby of star gazing so much nicer. I remember as a child, all the fun my family had watching the showers, but as an adult, I just never had the time to find out where and when they would happen. Now, thanks to you, I am making plans to enjoy the showers again and this time I’m bringing my grand children along too. I live in San Diego, CA. and am not sure if we will be able to see the Perseids shower in August from here. Please let me know so I can plan a great time with the grandkids. Thank you so much.
on Jun 23rd, 2010 at 10:18 am
Linda,
Great comment! More blog posts will begin for the Perseids starting the last week of July, the peak for the Perseids is August 12.
Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
P.S. Don’t expect a lot from the June Bootids.
on Jun 23rd, 2010 at 10:24 am
I guess that means we will be able to see the Perseids shower in August? I’ll be waiting for your updates.
Thank you,
Linda.
on Jun 23rd, 2010 at 10:27 am
Linda,
Yes you’re right. I forgot to add that part. Generally meteor showers can be seen all over the world, there are some locations where viewing is better than others.
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 23rd, 2010 at 7:20 pm
My 6y son has been asking me about meteor showers and getting on me to look up when we could watch one. This site was the best one I found, very detailed info and understandable, loved it so much I signed up for letters and booked marked it! I just have a question, I know you say not to expect much from the shower this weekend and the best time is after midnight, but I am looking at your UT and midnight on that is 8pm here in SW FL., I was wondering what time is the best for us here being that this one is not supposed to be that strong anyways.
I am excited to start watching w/ my son! I haven’t watched on since I was a teen!!
Thank you for all you do!!
Maria
on Jun 23rd, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Maria,
Please read the Meteor Shower Viewing page located on this site, it’s located up in the right hand corner. The best time to look is still after midnight until dawn. There are some articles links and information on that page. Possibly the best shower of the year, the Perseids, occurs in August. I’ll be posting a lot about that meteor shower.
Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 24th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
I just wanted to let you know that my neighbors and I were out star gazing tonight from 9:35-10:15pm EST in central Pennsylvania. We saw at least 15 meteors, and one of them was a giant blue/green fireball that was so bright it cast our shadows on the ground! We were surprised by the show, and so I started looking for an explanation when I found your site. Thanks for the good information. I will keep watching the skies for the next several nights hoping for more “fireworks!”
Excited in PA!
~Brenda
on Jun 24th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Brenda,
That’s a lot of meteors! Awesome.
Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 24th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Confirming Brenda’s fireball spotting. We saw a bright green/blue fireball @ 9:57 p.m…from Stafford, VA
on Jun 24th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Linda,
Awesome! Fireball in Pennsylvania and Virginia Skies! Thanks for the comments!
- Keep your head up!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 9:14 am
I seen the fireball in the sky in Stafford about 10pm. it was in west of interstate 95. It was the biggest and brightest I ever seen.
(Garrisonville) Stafford, Va
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 11:38 am
I was sitting on my porch in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts when I turned my head to see a fluroescent green ball (bowling ball size) with a bright red trail behind. Venous was slightly to my right and the full moon was over to my left. This was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.
It was very low to the horizon when it came into my view and disappeared into the hills surrounding my property. No sound. I almost expected to see a fire.
Ellen Brezinski
Shelburne, Massachusetts 01370
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 11:57 am
The above sighting was June 24 at approximately 10 PM. I found this site trying to confirm that I am not crazy and that I really saw this green fireball on June 24.
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
I was looking north from Gettysburg PA and saw this one. It was amazing! I have never seen a “shooting star” that huge. I too expected a meteor hit. I noted the time at 9:57 PM.
I see Ellen is in MA. Makes me wonder how big this thing was. It was way cool!
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Shari,
Pretty wild! I’m wondering myself if the events were related. I’m checking into it.
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
My husband and I were walking the dog last night and saw a meteorite above our heads, very close to the ground. We got in our home at 10:03 pm and estimate we saw it about 9:58 pm. We live in King of Prussia, PA which is in suburban Philadelphia.
We didn’t hear it hit but if it landed it was somewhere within a couple of blocks of our home.
We couldn’t believe our eyes.
I saw that Meteor hunters show a couple of times and it got me wondering….
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Nancy,
They do seem really close sometimes. Occasionally meteors do become meteorites. The atmosphere is very good at protecting Earth from debris, only the biggest meteors reach Earth. Sounds like an awesome meteor, I’ll do my research to see if anything landed.
I usually say keep your head up, but sounds like some people in Pennsylvania should be looking down!
- Meteor Mark
on Jun 25th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
While outside at about 10:00pm with a group of people. I was looking southeast, it was like somebody took a picture behind my back. Everybody seems to have seen the same thing. We even heard a slight “boom.”