Meteor Showers

Thanks swans! Good to have ya back!

Good evening everyone,

PERSEIDS:

The year's best meteor shower! (Space.com)

The Perseids are a skywatching highlight this month. This shower, which occurs when Earth plows through streams of debris shed over the years by Comet Swift-Tuttle, is widely regarded as the best of all the annual meteor displays in the Northern Hemisphere.

(While the Perseids peak toward the end of next week, you don't have to wait until those dates to observe them.!!!)

"You can start watching a week or more before the peak nights of August 11-12 and 12-13, assuming you have a dark sky," Bruce McClure noted at Earthsky.org. "The Perseid shower is known to rise gradually to a peak, then fall off rapidly afterwards. So as the nights pass in the week before the shower, the meteors will increase in number."

The Perseids, so named because they appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, often exhibit peak meteor rates of 50 to 100 per hour. The shower is also known for its fireballs — meteors that shine at least as brightly as the planet Venus.

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Some estimate that the best time to see the meteors are between the hours of 10:30 pm and 4:30 am. Their speed: 132,000mph!

Enjoy!
Swan

I would like to share NASA's video on Perseid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO83KP54YXs
Enjoy!

Thank you, AandA2VI: For your warm welcome.
Swan

Thanks for sharing this!

it was too cloudy lastnight for me to see anything on the west end of STX, anyone get some pictures?

This photo was taken in Wiltshire...........beautiful

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/10239492/Pictures-of-the-day-13-August-2013.html?frame=2642227

Good Evening Stargazers,

The Geminids Meteor Showers, which are known to rival all others with up to approximately 120 meteors/ hr., will peak at the end of this coming week from the evening of Dec.13th through dawn on Dec.14th. I have included a link from NASA which describes this year's coming meteor event. Hopefully the sky will be clear!
Enjoy!
Swan
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/geminids.cfm

Good Evening Everyone (Island/ Mainland):

Space and NASA's reminder of the Geminid Meteor Shower tonight. I posted their link below.
Enjoy!
Swan

http://www.space.com/23953-geminid-meteor-shower-peak-webcasts.html

Good Evening Skygazers:

"....The annual Lyrid meteor shower is active each year from about April 16 to 25. The short-lived peak of this shower usually lasts for less than a day. In 2014, the peak date will probably fall on April 22, with the greatest number of meteors falling during the few hours before dawn...."

Enjoy!
Swan
http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earthskys-meteor-shower-guide

This month, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks before dawn on May 5th, 6th, and 7th (Mon., Tues., Wed.) after Midnight and before dawn. This is a great shower for the Southern Hemisphere! But all of Earth will see meteors, and the moon will be out of the way during the peak hours after midnight.

Watch in a dark sky, and expect 20 to 40 meteors per hour. The parent comet from which the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower hails is Comet Halley; the meteor showers can be seen from April 19th through May 28th.
Enjoy, everyone!
Swan

Meteors anyone? Saturday morning, May 24th @ about 2:00am: Compliments of Jupiter!

"....Meteor experts have been working hard trying to determine just what Earth's interaction with the dusty debris of Comet 209P/LINEAR will produce. Predictions have ranged anywhere from 100 meteors per hour to perhaps a full-fledged meteor storm of 1,000 per hour...."

Swan
http://www.space.com/25927-new-meteor-shower-sizzle-or-fizzle.html

Ahh meteors,, little reminders that humanity could be wiped off the earth instantly, at any time.

Here's some good info on it:

Randall Carlson is a master builder and architectural designer, teacher, geometrician, geomythologist, geological explorer and renegade scholar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R31SXuFeX0A&list=PLk1Sqn_f33KuS7ZSVMJqzFaqOyyl-esmG&index=3

Stargazers: Just a reminder of the meteor shower.
Enjoy!
Swan

http://www.space.com/25984-camelopardalids-meteor-shower-comet-viewing-preparations.html

For our Stargazers: Perseids returns:

The Perseids are back with a bang.

The 2014 Perseid meteor shower should be visible this weekend for skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere. The annual celestial show, regarded as one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year, is expected to peak overnight between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13.

Appearing each July or August when the Earth passes near Comet Swift-Tuttle, the spectacular show emanates from the Perseus constellation, from which the shower derives its name.

Though the Perseids typically serve up about 100 shooting stars per hour, this year's show may be slightly obscured by the supermoon that occurs around the same time. A supermoon is a bit larger and brighter than a typical full moon, and this one is likely to be the biggest and brightest of the three to occur in 2014.

"This is bad news for the Perseids," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office said in a written statement. "Lunar glare wipes out the black-velvety backdrop required to see faint meteors, and sharply reduces counts."

But skywatchers needn't fret, since shooting stars may still be visible about a week after the shower's peak early Wednesday morning.

For the best view of the shower, experts suggest going outside in the early morning, several hours after moonrise.

"The best time to see the showers will be at around 2 a.m.," Tony Berendsen, an outreach astronomer and founder of Tahoe Star Tours, told ABC News. "Because the moon will be incredibly bright in the earlier evening, the smaller showers will not be a match."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/perseid-meteor-shower-2014_n_5659648.html?utm_hp_ref=science

swans: I suspect the full moon is going to mess with our viewing ability. We once saw the Geminid shower sailing back from St Maarten. Everyone was on deck at 2am. The meteors were reflected in the water and it was a light show all around! Incredible.

What about the August star coral spawning event? More science...

swans: I suspect the full moon is going to mess with our viewing ability. We once saw the Geminid shower sailing back from St Maarten. Everyone was on deck at 2am. The meteors were reflected in the water and it was a light show all around! Incredible.

What about the August star coral spawning event? More science...

EE, the supermoon, unfortunately, will have an effect by adding some light to the sky, but at around 2am, it is suppose to be a good time for viewing the showers. Also, these showers continue for weeks to come.

Coral Spawning:
http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/science/fgbcoralspawning.html

Thanks for the info as well as the coral spawning one.

For our Stargazers: Perseids returns:
swans thanks again for our updates.....nobody loves a full moon more than i,but i hate it to interrupt our meteor showers, i am out east,facing buck island any particular direction i should be looking? as usual your updates always make it possible for me to always say.."I SOMETIMES SEE MORE NATURE ON STX IN ONE DAY THAN SOME PEOPLE SEE IN A LIFE TIME"thanks lily

The Perseids are back with a bang.

The 2014 Perseid meteor shower should be visible this weekend for skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere. The annual celestial show, regarded as one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year, is expected to peak overnight between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13.

Appearing each July or August when the Earth passes near Comet Swift-Tuttle, the spectacular show emanates from the Perseus constellation, from which the shower derives its name.

Though the Perseids typically serve up about 100 shooting stars per hour, this year's show may be slightly obscured by the supermoon that occurs around the same time. A supermoon is a bit larger and brighter than a typical full moon, and this one is likely to be the biggest and brightest of the three to occur in 2014.

"This is bad news for the Perseids," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office said in a written statement. "Lunar glare wipes out the black-velvety backdrop required to see faint meteors, and sharply reduces counts."

But skywatchers needn't fret, since shooting stars may still be visible about a week after the shower's peak early Wednesday morning.

For the best view of the shower, experts suggest going outside in the early morning, several hours after moonrise.

"The best time to see the showers will be at around 2 a.m.," Tony Berendsen, an outreach astronomer and founder of Tahoe Star Tours, told ABC News. "Because the moon will be incredibly bright in the earlier evening, the smaller showers will not be a match."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/perseid-meteor-shower-2014_n_5659648.html?utm_hp_ref=science

Good evening Lily,

Many thanks for all your interest in the sciences! Viewing should be very easy. Look between the radiant, which will be in the north-east part of the sky and the zenith (the point in sky directly above you). By the way, you can start viewing the showers even now: Perseids hangs around for days.

Enjoy!
Swan

For our Stargazers: Perseids returns:
swans thanks again for our updates.....nobody loves a full moon more than i,but i hate it to interrupt our meteor showers, i am out east,facing buck island any particular direction i should be looking? as usual your updates always make it possible for me to always say.."I SOMETIMES SEE MORE NATURE ON STX IN ONE DAY THAN SOME PEOPLE SEE IN A LIFE TIME"thanks lily

The Perseids are back with a bang.

The 2014 Perseid meteor shower should be visible this weekend for skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere. The annual celestial show, regarded as one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year, is expected to peak overnight between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13.

Appearing each July or August when the Earth passes near Comet Swift-Tuttle, the spectacular show emanates from the Perseus constellation, from which the shower derives its name.

Though the Perseids typically serve up about 100 shooting stars per hour, this year's show may be slightly obscured by the supermoon that occurs around the same time. A supermoon is a bit larger and brighter than a typical full moon, and this one is likely to be the biggest and brightest of the three to occur in 2014.

"This is bad news for the Perseids," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office said in a written statement. "Lunar glare wipes out the black-velvety backdrop required to see faint meteors, and sharply reduces counts."

But skywatchers needn't fret, since shooting stars may still be visible about a week after the shower's peak early Wednesday morning.

For the best view of the shower, experts suggest going outside in the early morning, several hours after moonrise.

"The best time to see the showers will be at around 2 a.m.," Tony Berendsen, an outreach astronomer and founder of Tahoe Star Tours, told ABC News. "Because the moon will be incredibly bright in the earlier evening, the smaller showers will not be a match."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/perseid-meteor-shower-2014_n_5659648.html?utm_hp_ref=science

G'evening Stargazers:

The graceful Geminids are back tomorrow night and observing them should start from twilight through Sunday morning, especially around 2 A.M.

"...The Earth moves quickly through this meteor stream, producing a somewhat broad, lopsided activity profile. Late Saturday night up until the moon rises before midnight, a single observer might average as many as 60 to 120 meteors per hour...".

Enjoy!
Swan
http://www.space.com/27995-geminid-meteor-shower-peak-observers-guide.html

Meteor showers anyone? A NASA recommendation....

The annual Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak this week, giving amateur skywatchers with clear dark skies a potentially dazzling celestial light show.

Luckily for those watching the skies, there will be a new moon, allowing for maximum darkness just when the Perseid meteor shower will be is at its best. The meteor shower's peak occurs during the overnight hours of Wednesday (Aug. 12) and Thursday (Aug. 13). No fancy equipment is required; just a lawn chair and your naked eyes will be enough to see the "shooting stars."

Enjoy!
Swan

http://www.space.com/30198-perseid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week.html

Meteor shower, anyone....? The Geminids are back beginning tonight, Sunday evening until Tuesday's dawn.... Enjoy!

"....Tonight – December 13, 2015 – is likely the peak night of the 2015 Geminid meteor shower. Watch from late Sunday evening until dawn Monday. And if you are clouded out, don’t despair! The shower may be equally good Monday evening through Tuesday’s dawn as well. The meteors should start flying by mid-evening (midway between sunset and your local midnight), but the Geminid shower really won’t reach the crest of its activity until after midnight. To optimize your chances, drive out into the country, where you’ll have the darkest possible sky. If you do that, you might see dozens of meteors per hour! Follow the links below to learn more about the 2015 Geminid meteor shower...."

http://earthsky.org/tonight/geminid-meteor-shower-peaks-on-night-of-december-13#how-many

Greetings Stargazers.

There are predicted to be 150 to 200 meteors per hour. Thank you Jupiter! 😀
http://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html

Stargazers, a quick reminder of the Perseids Meteor Shower's peak tonight (Thursday) into the morning of the 12th (Friday).

"....The meteors will seem to originate from the constellation Perseus, which appears on the horizon at about 10 p.m. local time. However, the most meteors will be visible after midnight. They can appear all over the sky, but they will always look like they're streaking away from Perseus. Look northeast.

The showers will be around for two more weeks after peak. Many thanks, Jupiter! 😀
Swan