Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower

Around May 3rd this meteor shower will become even more frisky. One thing nice about the Eta Aquariids is that it’s known to have a full week of activity. So before its peak on May 6th, you could be treated to even more meteors streaming across the morning and evening sky. Expect to see 15 to 20 meteors per hour. Then, in the morning of May 6th, the meteor shower may explode with up to 50 meteors per hour.

How did the Eta Aquariids get its name?

It was named after the constellation Aquarius, as it appears to radiate from this cluster of stars. Meteor enthusiasts should be able to see a meteor per minute. This is due to lack of moonlight, as the moon will be in the waning crescent phase, shedding virtually no “light pollution”.

When and where should one look to see this meteor shower?

I’ve stated before that meteors can be seen anywhere in the sky. But you can’t be straining your neck, trying to search the whole sky. So it’s always better to pick a spot and concentrate on it. The best starting point to start looking for this shower is the meteor shower’s radiant.

What’s the radiant?

The radiant for the Eta Aquariids, for people living north of the equator is Aquarius. The constellation Aquarius is located, low on the horizon in the south-eastern sky. For those south of the equator, Aquarius is located more toward the east and higher in the sky. Remember, meteors will seem to emanate from the radiant. So tracing the backward path of a meteor will usually point to the constellation, after which the meteor shower is named.

A Comet – Credit: NASA

In fact, the comet responsible for this meteor shower is one of the most famous comets of all time, Halley’s Comet. Even though Halley’s Comet came near Earth in 1986, we still pass through the remnants of its tail, every successive year since. Also, even before Halley’s Comet made its last spectacular Earth visit, it’s mere travelling through space was producing Eta Aquariids meteor events on an annual basis.

Why do meteor showers happen at the same time each year?

Comets are always on time! We happen to pass through the dust trails and debris of a comet that orbits our Sun, at the same time each year. Furthermore, for thousands upon thousands of years meteoroids get pulled into the path of the parent comet and then blast into Earth’s atmosphere. The result is a consistent meteor shower that never runs out of ammunition. The great Halley’s Comet is responsible for more than one meteor shower every year. The next shower on its calender is the Orionids Meteor Shower in October.

Eta Aquariids meteor shower facts:

Let’s talk about speed! Eta Aquariids meteors move at 68 kilometers per second or approximately 150,000 plus miles per hour! They are bright and will create smoke trails or persistent trains. Get out there and don’t miss out on all the action!

Here are the dates for the next meteor shower.

η-Aquariids Meteor Shower
Start Date: April 19
Peak Date: May 6
End Date: May 28

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Keep your head up.

- Meteor Mark

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The Lyrids Meteor Shower peaks in the month of April – setting the stage for the entrance of the prime annual meteor showers of 2013. The Lyrids has its major meteor activity after midnight, in the early morning hours of April 22.

Following on from the Lyrids is a minor meteor shower called the Pi-Puppids. This meteor shower peaks on April 23. However its activity won’t be stellar as a major shower or as energetic, due to its weak stream. In early May, another meteor shower worth looking out for is the eta-Aquariids. It has its peak in the early morning hours on May 6.

One of the Summer months’ highlights is a true giant of a meteor shower – the Perseids Meteor Shower. This glamorous event peaks in August and is well worth seeing.

April has a much better climate for individuals within the Northern Hemisphere, so it’s a great time to get fired up for the meteor viewing season. The warmer weather makes for a more comfortable viewing experience, with more chances to see more meteors.

What About the Lyrids Meteor Shower?

The Lyrids Meteor Shower may be the earliest recorded meteor shower, found in referenced documentation throughout the Chou Empire time period, around 687 AD. It was documented when a Chinese onlooker wrote in a journal, “at night, fixed stars are invisible, at midnight, stars dropped down like rain”.

The Lyrids takes its title from the glowing stars that form the constellation Lyra. The constellation Lyra is named after an old stringed device – much like the harp.

What exactly is the source of this meteor shower?

Sometime in 1861, novice astronomer as well as teacher, A.E. Thatcher found the comet that produces the meteoroid stream for the Lyrids. Like most comet discoverers, they get to decide the name. In this case it was named, Comet Thatcher – after its discoverer.

The Thatcher Comet orbits the Sun every 415 years. It’s due to be visible from Earth again in 2276. The crux of meteor shower activity for most meteor showers lies in the streams of dust that follow the comet’s orbit. So, every year in April Earth passes through the path of this comet, resulting in a spectacular celestial display called the Lyrids Meteor Shower.

When Do You Look?

No matter where you are in the world, the best time to view a meteor shower is after midnight. So for this one, I said the peak is April 22. This means that on the night of April 21. it will start to build strength. After midnight it should start to get stronger, until the early morning hours. You may want to look at a more detailed explanation of “midnight” in my meteor viewing page on the site.

Do You Wish Upon a Falling Star?

The peak of the Lyrids Meteor Shower falls on the same day as Earth Day. So make a wish for planet Earth and enjoy watching this meteor shower. Keep in mind some much better meteor showers are set to be arriving soon!

-Meteor Mark

April Meteor Shower Schedule

Lyrids Meteor Shower
Start Date: April 16
Peak Date: April 22
End Date: April 25

π-Puppids Meteor Shower
Start Date: April 15
Peak Date: April 23
End Date: April 28

η-Aquarids Meteor Shower
Start Date: April 19
Peak Date: May 6
End Date: May 28

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In the month of March the comet will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere. If you want to try and view the comet, have a look in the early evening. Look where the sun sets and gaze right after. You’re not looking for an object whizzing through the sky like a meteor. A comet, even though it is moving very fast will appear stationary to viewers. However, it will change its location and appear to move northward. As the month goes on, it will be in front of the constellation Pisces and then meander over the constellations Andromeda and Pegasus.

Meteor Shower Fact

Some meteor showers are caused by comets. As our Earth orbits the sun, it will pass through the dust trails created by comets. In the month of May and October, probably the most famous comet of all time is the source of a meteor shower. Halley’s Comet is responsible for the Orionids Meteor Shower in October and the upcoming May Eta Aquariids.

As Halley’s Comet orbits our Sun and returns to view from Earth every 75 to 76 years it leaves behind streams of meteoroids of which Earth will pass through every year at the same time. Another very famous meteor shower, the Perseids, is caused by a comet. In 1862, Lewis Swift and Horace Parnell-Tuttle discovered the Swift-Tuttle Comet and since then it has been identified as the source of this prolific August meteor shower, the Perseids.

Will Comet Pan-STARRS create a Meteor Shower?

You won’t see any extra meteors in the sky as a result of Comet Pan-STARRS being visible, here’s why. Remember, meteor showers can be caused by the Earth passing through the trails of comets. This comet is over 100 million miles (160+ million kilometers) away from our planet and we will not be passing through its path of meteoroids and dust.

Tonight is definitely a good time to view Comet Pan-STARRS. So, before I go out there and take a look, I’ll leave you with one more interesting fact. Unlike Halley’s Comet, Comet Pan-STARRS will not be back any time soon. Comet Pan-STARRS is only passing us by. I hear it may return in some number of millions of years… until then…

Keep your head up,

-Meteor Mark

There’s a minor meteor shower happening right now: Gamma Normids

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Minor Meteor Shower

This meteor shower is a minor meteor shower. It’s nothing at all like the more spectacular and world famous Perseids Meteor Shower of August. At it’s peak the Gamma Normids Meteor Shower will produce up to six extra meteors an hour.

So why am I saying “six extra meteors an hour”?

There are always sporadic meteors in the sky. If you were to go outside tonight and observe, you might see a meteor that is not part of a specific meteor shower. These are known as “sporadic meteors”. Sporadic meteors are not part of a meteor shower.

The problem with seeing sporadic meteors is that they will be located in any place in the sky. Unlike meteor showers that have a vicinity (also know known as a radiant) as where they are more likely to appear. They appear more randomly. Considering how fast meteors travel and the streaks of light they produce can be rather faint, it’s difficult to see them.

So let’s go back to the Gamma Normids Meteor Shower (γ-Normids)

During the peak of this meteor shower, the Moon and man-made light in the sky will degrade from the amount of meteors one can see. The γ-Normids is not a heavy stream of meteors and this year the conditions are pretty lousy being that the moon is in a last quarter phase. In fact, I’m being nice, I would classify the viewing experience as poor.

Save the S’mores and Marshmallows tonight

I recall once; I overstated the amount of meteors in a meteor shower peak and received a really long contact form message from a person that I “wasted their time”. I’m looking forward to beating the lawsuit. So, it’s up to you to decide if you’d like to go out and look, you never know, you may see some meteors.

Please join the newsletter in the upper right hand corner of this page to keep your eyes on my blog for more posts about the April Meteor Shower, the Lyrids. If you really feel inspired and like what you read, you can make a contribution to the “Buy Meteor Mark A Cup of Coffee” fund (located on the right sidebar) as I’ll need some because even though I said the Gamma Normids Meteor Shower will probably be a dud, I’ll be out there watching tonight.

In the meantime, keep your head up,

-Meteor Mark

P.S. “Minutus” means “small” in Latin; therefore not the name of this meteor shower.

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In fact, scientists are saying that the Russian meteor was 50 to 60 feet in diameter and weighed about 10,000 tons. Considering that billions of particles hit the earth each day and rarely make it to the ground, this one was exceptionally huge and extremely rare. In general meteoroids range in size from that of a pebble to a golf ball. This makes the Russian meteor a very unusual anomaly.

I don’t have much to add on the topic of the “Russian Fireball”, because so much has been written about the subject. It’s hard to gauge what is truth or speculation. So for me, I’m bowing out of the conversation as the purpose of this site is to report on current meteor showers and meteors rather than conspiracy theories.

You may or may not know that meteor showers are caused by dust particulars and meteoroids that follow behind the path of a comet or in rare instances and asteroid. As the Earth passes through the dust trails of these celestial bodies, meteor showers occur. Certain meteor showers will occur at the same time each year. Not all meteor showers are equal – some are very active with many meteoroids entering the Earth’s atmosphere and others are much weaker with only a few meteor events.

So, I started to ponder the Question…

Do Meteor Showers Ever Run Out of Meteors?

I suppose technically, they could run out of meteoroids and dust. But one should consider the source of meteor showers. When comets orbit our Sun they go far out into our Solar System and gravity pulls particles into its path. Comets are usually rather large and as they get close to the Sun they melt and meteoroids will “drip” into its path. Since a comet has tons of rocks, ice and metals within it’s nucleus and tail, a meteor shower will definitely have fuel for a very long time.

It’s safe to say that I don’t know how long a meteor shower will last. However,as long as there is gravitational pull related to the source causing it and the body gets replenished by particles, then a meteor shower will last millions of years. Some years the shower will produce a lot of activity and some years it won’t.

Meteor Showers

That is the beauty of a meteor shower – one never knows exactly what to expect. They have been around for a long time and only time will tell if they will last forever or not. I can say with a degree of certainty that they won’t be going anywhere any time soon.

In the meantime, keep your head up.

-Meteor Mark

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Meteor Shower

There is a difference between a major meteor shower and a minor meteor shower. Minor meteor showers are events that produce little observable activity, usually less than ten meteors per hour, however they do occur at similar times during the year.  It is also quite often that a Greek letter is used at the start of the minor meteor shower’s name.

For example, the Greek letter “γ” or Gamma is placed at the start of the shower’s name.  The minor meteor shower occurring now, the (γ-Normids) Gamma Normids will start February 25th and will continue to be active until March 22nd. The shower should be the strongest on March 14th, but don’t expect to see meteors shimmering all over the sky for this one is just a minor event. If you want to give this meteor shower a chance, try going out in the morning hours of March 14th and look for the constellation Norma. The bad news is that there will be little activity, but the good news is that a waxing crescent Moon with only 8% of the Moon visible will be in the sky. This means that if there are meteors, one should be able to spot them in a dark morning sky.  Norma is a small triangle of stars between Scorpius and Centaurus. Scorpius is best known for contrasting blue and yellow stars within it and it’s large size in the sky. Meteor shower viewers might see about six to ten meteors per hour during the peak and a few scattered meteors during the showers start to finish.

Not all Meteor are Part of a Meteor Shower

On an additional note, not all meteors that one observes have to be part of a specific meteor shower. There are plenty of sporadic meteors that streak across the sky each year. On any given night or morning a viewer may see about five meteors not associated with any particular event. These meteors are called “sporadic meteors” as they are capricious and can be seen virtually anywhere in the sky.

The next meteor shower of any real intensity is the Lyrids Meteor Shower that occurs in April. Please bookmark the site and join the mailing list because better and stronger meteor showers are on the way!

Keep your head up.

- Meteor Mark

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Where to look for and identify the Quadrantids? Firstly, one should locate the Big Dipper using the diagram below. Quadrantids can be seen anywhere in the sky and if you see one in an area, you’re likely to see more in that spot, so keep your eyes transfixed to that location.

Where to Look

As I stated there is a very short period where the chances of tracking them visually is strong. This makes for a difficult viewing experience for those who don’t have the patience or time to spend on watching this event for a long period of time. In the morning hours of January 4th, weather permitting it will be virtually perfect for spotting the Quadrantids this year. As with most meteor showers they are best seen in the morning hours before daybreak.

What is the radiant and why Bootes?

The radiant, a region where the meteors will seem to emanate from is the constellation Bootes. This constellation was originally named Quadrans Muralis. In 1922, Quadrans Muralis was not added to the new list of eighty-eight modern constellations. The name was changed to Bootes, but the name of the meteor shower, the Quadrantids, remained the same.

The Quadrantids are a fascinating meteor shower for a couple of reasons. The first is because the majority of meteor showers are associated with a specific comet and second is that meteor showers get their name or radiant from the constellation where they seem to originate. These two “rules” do not apply to the Quadrantids Meteor Shower. The parent body of the Quadrantids is not a comet, it is a near-earth asteroid named 2003 EH1 and their radiant constellation name is Bootes. There has been speculation by many scientists that the event’s parent is a piece of the comet C/1490 Y1 that crumbled almost 500 years ago. It was only in 2003 that the origin of the Quadrantids was known. A group of scientists designed a mathematical equation that turned their attention to the acknowledged source, the asteroid 2003 EH1.

In 2009, this meteor shower was one of the more appealing meteor showers that I viewed but it only lasted for a short period of time. In 2010 and 2012, it was very weak and threatened by a glowing moon coupled with extremely cold weather in the morning when I observed. This year I hope it will deliver greater meteor activity like it did in 2009 and with warmer temperatures. The best thing that can contribute to a worthwhile showing will be the fact that there will be no moon in the sky. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

If you would like to take a look at this meteor shower, I suggest finding a safe, dark area and locate the constellation Bootes in the morning of January 4th. This year the Quadrantids will be competing with moonlight because of the Waxing Gibbous Moon phase. This means viewers will see less meteors. If this shower is as strong as it was in 2009, it will undoubtedly be worth a look. In 2009, I witnessed about 1 to 3 meteors a minute or about 80 to 120 an hour. This year I feel it will probably not be the same, however I make no guarantee that it will be good nor bad as the conditions and meteoroids streams are always unpredictable and changeable.

Your questions and comments are welcome. If you enjoyed my blog and found this information useful, why not buy me a cup of coffee? I can use them during the morning on January 4th while watching the Quadrantids!

Keep your head up.

- Meteor Mark
Quadrantids Meteor Shower January 2013

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Leonids Fireball Image Credit by George Varros NASA

There are three meteor showers starting in November. Of the three meteor showers; two will peak and the other will be at its maximum in December. The meteor showers of November are the Leonids, the α-Monocerotids and the Phoenicids.  There are two other meteor showers that have been active for months coming to an end, the minor meteor showers, the Southern and Northern Taurids.

The Leonids Meteor Shower is the strongest meteor shower of November and will produce approximately twenty visible meteors per hour during its maximum in the morning hours of November 18th. This event starts November 6th and is caused by a comet named 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. This comet was very close to Earth in 1998 and subsequently thereafter produced a huge meteor storm in 2001. These events were unexpected and the Leonids for the most part can be very unpredictable.

What can you expect this year from the Leonids?

One can expect the moon to be a factor. The moon will be in its last quarter phase on November 18th and will be shedding some light into the sky. Light is a major inhibitor of meteor showers as it causes light pollution, which makes it more difficult to spot meteors. This year scientists are claiming that most of the particles entering the Earth’s atmosphere will be smaller than usual. I would love to tell you that this meteor shower is going to be as grand as the one that occurred in 2001, but I have to tell you to keep your expectations low.

When to look?

We should be observing this meteor shower whenever we can. There is nothing wrong with gazing at the skies in search of meteors. But believe me I know most of you have busy lives. I always get asked, “When is the best time to look?” So here’s your answer. Look in the morning hours of November 18th and use the illustration below to locate the constellation Leo.

Leonids Meteor Shower - Use the Big Dipper to Locate the Constellation Leo

The two other smaller meteor showers:

α-Monocerotids starts on November 15th and will have its greatest activity on November 22nd and the Phoenicids will start at the end of the month and will have its peak December 6th. Both of these showers are considered minor and will most likely produce little activity. I’d like to note that it is very difficult to predict when an outburst will occur, so the more seasoned viewer who has time to spend outdoors may spot some greater activity.

Quick Schedule:

I will be out watching the shower several times during the month and I welcome your comments and questions. Feel free to use the search button in the top right corner. So with no further ado, I’m off to gaze at some meteors, in the meantime I’ll be keeping my head up, will you?

Keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark

The post Meteor Showers of November 2011 appeared first on Meteor Showers.

The Orionids Meteor Shower has already started to produce activity in the morning skies around the northern hemisphere. It started October 2nd and will be active until early November. The Orionids has a few days before and after the peak that are more active than other days. This is a unique feature called a “submaxima”. Viewers can anticipate the strongest activity to take place in the morning of October 21st, but the period of days that lead up to the peak and after the peak called “submaxima activity” means that strong outbursts may occur between October 18th and October 24th at any time. So why not have a look as soon as you can? Meteor shower outbursts are nearly impossible to predict.

Orionids Meteor Shower Radiant

As mentioned earlier, Orionids enter the Earth’s atmosphere at 90,000+ miles per hour which compared to other meteor showers is consider medium speeds. The Orionids seem to originate from the constellation Orion near the red/orange star named Betelgeuse. This year, the Moon will create a medium amount of light pollution because it will be coming off a last quarter phase. Not only is the Moon a factor, but also man-made sources of light can make it difficult to view this event. Under perfect low-light conditions, viewers may see up to one meteor every three minutes. However, based on the circumstances I’ve discussed, I don’t think this will be the case this year. I do believe the meteor shower is worth observing and viewing for at least thirty minutes to an hour in mornings before and after the peak, October 21st.

To best view this meteor shower, one must go to a safe dark place in the morning and look toward the constellation Orion. The meteors can and will streak anywhere in the sky but will seem to originate from Orion. Orion, the meteor shower’s radiant is where they get their name from. Almost all meteor showers are named after their constellation or radiant, which is the point in the sky where they seem to originate. In May, Halley’s Comet is also responsible for another meteor shower called the Eta-Aquariids where the dust hits Earth at a different angle and the point of entry seems to come from the constellation Aquarius, hence we get the Eta-Aquariids.

The reason why I get so excited about this meteor shower is because it is the first of three meteor showers that are worth looking at before the end of the year. It is also nice to go outside and enjoy clear cool nights watching the stars after a lull in meteor shower activity since early August. The next meteor showers of interest are the Leonids in November and the Geminids of December.

As always, if you’ve enjoyed my writing and the information that I provide on this site, please use the “A Coffee for Meteor Mark” section. Believe me, I really need the coffee to keep me up in the morning whilst observing meteor showers. Please join our mailing list, bookmark the site and keep your head up.

- Meteor Mark

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So now that you have the information, I’m sure you’re wondering when and where do I look? If you live in the Americas unfortunately you’re not going to see many meteors because the proposed peak will be during the daytime for you. But this doesn’t mean you should just give up. I suggest three viewing sessions for USA residents and they are: October 8th between 12:01am and dawn, the darkest point of early evening say around 6:00pm onward to midnight and then final October 9th from 12:01am until dawn.

Draconids Meteor Shower Radiant

Now if you live in Europe, the best proposed activity will be on October 8th between 17:00 GMT and 20:00 GMT. You can also follow the above times that I suggested for the Americas. This meteor shower has the chance to be truly amazing. I have to warn you, the moon will be very bright and usually this means it will be hard to see these meteors especially because they are relatively faint and small.

If you would like to learn a little more about the Draconids, please take a look at the blog I did in 2009 (Draconids Information).  It contains more information about meteor storm activity and the source and cause of the Draconids Meteor Shower.  If you’re planning on going outside and having a look, keep warm, have fun and keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark

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I’ve had a few questions on the site as I always do about the best time to view the Perseids this year. I always feel a little stressed over making promises about meteor showers because I don’t want anyone to miss the prime-time action. Since these events remain one of the most difficult astronomical occurrences to predict in science today, it is with guarded trepidation that I will state the best viewing times for this years Perseids Meteor Shower as follows:

The first “best” time to get out there and look will be between 12:01 AM and dawn on August 12th and the second even better time will be between August 12th 18:00 Universal Time and August 13th 07:00 Universal Time.

Perseids Meteor Shower Radiant

I find that the times leading up to the peak in the morning are always stronger. For some of you the peak times will occur when it is light outside, so my best advice is to look in the morning of August 12th, a few hours before dawn and then again in the evening of August 12th into the morning of August 13th. There are some good things going for viewing the Perseids Meteor Shower in the morning of August 12th. One in particular is that the Constellation Perseus (the radiant located in the northeast for most of us) will be at it’s highest in the sky just before dawn and the moon will be a small crescent shape. The best part about viewing in the morning of August 12th is that, if for some reason, you don’t see as many meteors as you would like, you’ll have a another chance later in the evening to have a second go round at viewing.

Believe it or not Perseids meteors are active and visible in the sky right now through August 24th. The meteor shower will be at it’s strongest between August 11th until August 13th, so these are the best times to view this shower. I’m hoping for a great display this year and I’m urging everyone to get out and view the Perseids in their glory! If you like this blog and you want to buy me a cup of coffee to keep me awake while watching meteors you can do so by using the “A Coffee for Meteor Mark” section on the site that is located on the right underneath the newsletter sign up box.

In the meantime, keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark
Perseids Meteor Shower August 2011

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Geminids Meteor Shower

The Geminids Meteor Shower gets its name from the constellation from where it seems to originate. This is similar to other meteor showers. However unlike most meteor showers, the source of the Geminids Meteor Shower event is not a comet. This makes it unique. In fact, the dust particles or meteoroids that bombard Earth each year at this time are from a completely different celestial being. Besides the sheer magnitude and reliability of this meteor shower each year, this distinguishing factor is one of my favorite aspects about this event.

So what causes the Geminids Meteor Shower if it is not a comet? The Geminids is a distinctive meteor shower because it is connected to an asteroid called “3200 Phaethon”. There is some dispute amongst astronomers over whether or not 3200 Phaethon is a comet in its final stages of life or simply an asteroid. Every December for hundreds and possibly thousands of years, the 3200 Phaethon has caused the Geminids Meteor Shower. Since the early beginnings of the discovery of this meteor shower, over 150 years ago, data has indicated that it is getting stronger and stronger every year.

In 2010, the Geminids Meteor Shower starts December 7th and continues until December 17th. I’m hoping that his meteor shower will be as good as last year. To optimize your chances of seeing a great display in the sky, aim to start viewing in the early morning hours before dawn. Meteors will appear anywhere in the sky but will emerge from their radiant within the constellation Gemini and so the name, Geminids. In the morning hours after midnight on December 14th, viewers will be treated to the shower’s strongest display under an a first quarter Moon phase with about 50% of the Moon’s visible disk illuminated. I would describe Geminids meteors as, “exactly what one would think a meteor shower should look like”, fast with sparkly white streaks of light shooting across the sky. It’s no wonder while viewing this meteor shower over the years that they have garnered the nickname “shooting stars”. A most gloriously fitting description.

Geminids - Where to Look

The Geminids Meteor Shower will peak on December 14th and under clear skies it could produce up to 120 meteors per hour. Find a safe dark place and if you’re in a cold weather area dress warmly. Locate the constellation Gemini and stare at an area around it. Be patient but stay vigilant because when the bursts of meteors spew forth, it seems to happen in spurts. For example, one meteor could be followed by three, and then a gap and then a minute may go by before you may see any more. Even though the Geminids could be the strongest meteor shower of the year, their behavior is still capricious and sporadic. I suggest dedicating a two-hour period to watch after midnight into the morning before dawn. This will help you account for and triumph over the whimsical and unpredictable nature of meteor showers like this one.

I can’t guarantee that you’ll see anything and recommend that you read my glossary on this site as well as the meteor shower viewing page that are both located in the upper right hand corner for more viewing tips. You may want to browse around and study other articles and the comments from other meteor shower enthusiasts just like you. By doing this, you’ll get a sense for how to view meteors and you’ll feel like a pro in no time! If you’ve enjoyed my blog and liked reading my articles, please consider buying a meteor shirt or use the “A Coffee for Meteor Mark” section on the right hand side of the page. I will need some freshly brewed coffee for the morning hours whilst watching Geminid meteors!

Keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark

The post Geminids Meteor Shower Peaks in December appeared first on Meteor Showers.

I will be writing some more blog posts about the Geminids Meteor Shower as well as giving you some meteor facts about all the meteor showers this month. In the meantime, mark your calendar, bookmark this site and keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark

The post December Meteor Shower Schedule appeared first on Meteor Showers.

Leonids Fireball Image Credit by George Varros NASA

The Leonids Meteor Shower is the strongest meteor shower in November. The Leonids’ parent comet, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, came closest to Earth in 1998 and produced some massive meteor showers that were unpredicted in 2001. In recent times, the Leonids activity has been erratic of late. This year, I believe there will be moderate activity during the peak, which occurs on November 17th. However, my colleagues predict that, in 2010 it is unknown whether there will be more action than usual. Therefore I am urging viewers to keep their expectations low, but still take the time to have a few viewing sessions before and after the peak. During the peak viewers might see one meteor every three minutes or a Zenith Hourly Rate (ZHR) of twenty or more meteors per hour. Keep in mind that this viewing rate is under perfect sighting conditions.

For those of you who have been with me since I started Meteor Blog in 2008, you know I try to answer as many comments as I can. I’m flattered by all of the comments I receive on this meteor site and I enjoy reading them all, so please keep them coming. Since my first meteor inspired article, the most common question I am asked, is:

When is the best time to look?

The best time to view the Leonids, as is the case with most meteor showers, will vary depending on where you are in the world. I can assure you that meteor showers are one of the hardest astronomical events to predict, even for the most experienced astronomers and scientists. Having stated that, I will try to give all of you some advice for optimising your chances for seeing the most meteors in the sky near you. I find that the majority of people think meteor showers are events that take place at night, however they are usually best seen in the morning. People tend to equate night with darkness and therefore they assume that it would be more likely to see more meteors before midnight. This is a common fallacy. As with the majority of these celestial events, this year’s Leonids Shower is best seen in the morning of November 17th, before dawn. For some of you the Moon will have set so it won’t add any unwanted light in the sky. When looking for meteors, the Moon plays a big role in your viewing session as its luminescence can encroach upon your viewing range. The Moon will be in a waxing gibbous phase on November 17th and more than 85% illuminated. This condition will degrade your viewing experience, however the Moon does set in the early morning hours creating less light in the sky resulting in more chances to see meteors.

Where to Look?

Meteors can be seen anywhere in the sky, so positioning yourself in a spot where you can view the constellation Leo as well as a large portion of the sky is optimal. The key to viewing meteors is to pick a spot in the sky and look at it for fifteen to twenty minutes at a time with a viewing session no shorter than an hour. Once you have found your spot in the sky, fix your eyes to it as meteors streak across the sky quickly. Looking around rather than focusing on a segment of the sky will greatly degrade your chances of seeing a shooting star. You will notice that meteors trace backwards towards the constellation of Leo and/or seem to originate from a point in the sky called the radiant.

How do I find the radiant, Leo?

Leonids are named after their radiant, the constellation Leo. I like to use a familiar constellation to aid in finding Leo. Most of you know the Big Dipper (The Plough); so let’s use it to find the Leonids Meteor Shower radiant. Please use the picture below to help you find Leo. Keep in mind that your sky will look slightly different than the image depending on your location, but with a little patience you will be able to figure out a general area in which to track meteors. You don’t have to be too precise to see a meteor. You just have to be committed to spending some time staring at the same point in the sky. Find a safe, dark place to observe and bundle up in lots of layers, if you’re in area that gets cold.

Leonids Meteor Shower - Use the Big Dipper to Locate the Constellation Leo

You may want to review the article I wrote a few years ago regarding the famous Leonids Meteor Swarm of 1833 and some of the other articles that I’ve written by checking the links below.

Leonids Meteor Swarm
Leonids Meteor Shower 2009
Starting to Roar
Meteor Shower Viewing Tips
Meteor Glossary and Terms

I hope that we see some activity from the Leonids this year. I’m not expecting it to be a huge meteor shower, but it’s definitely worth taking a look. If you’ve enjoyed the article, please join the mailing list, bookmark the site and consider buying me a cup of coffee by using the “A Coffee for Meteor Mark” section on the right of this page. I’ll need them whilst I’m up early searching the skies for meteors.

Keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark

The post Leonids Meteor Shower – Does the “Big Cat” Purr in November? appeared first on Meteor Showers.

I wanted to put this quick meteor shower schedule up on the site as soon as possible. I will be flying to Europe on November 1st and will be viewing all of this month’s meteor showers, especially the Leonids, from an observatory in the southwest of England. Please note that the Leonids will be strongest in the morning of November 17th.

I promise to post more about the Leonids on the site when I land safely in England.  In the meantime keep your head up!

- Meteor Mark
P.S. I hear the have good coffee where I’m going…

The post November Meteor Shower Schedule appeared first on Meteor Showers.