Geminids Meteor Shower [Archive] - Digital Photographer Philippines

danpagulayan

12-17-2007, 09:58 AM

Here's some more info:

"The shower officially begins on December 6th, but it doesn't peak until the night of the 13th. Unlike the Giacobinids and Leonids, the Geminid's broad maximum lasts nearly a full day, so observers around the globe have a good chance to see the show. At its peak the Geminids are expected to produce about one shooting star every 30 seconds. "

more on this at: http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/51877/geminid-meteor-shower-peaks-december-13-and-14

http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/51876/geminid-meteor-storm-from-3200-phaethon

For the 2008 Forecasts:
http://www.earthsky.org/article/earth-skys-meteor-guide-for-2008

January 3, 2008 Quadrantids
Actually, the peak of this shower is on January 4 at 7 Universal Time – 1 a.m. Central Standard Time – during the night of January 3 for U.S. observers. In 2008, the moon is out of the way for this shower, which is known for being fast and furious. The shower has a sharp peak, and typically all worthwhile observing must be done no more than an hour or two either side of the peak. Face the general direction of northwest, beginning at about 11 p.m. Central Time on January 3. Remember that the meteors can be seen across a wide swath of sky.

April 21, 2008 Lyrids
The Lyrids are a moderate shower at best, but the meteors tend to be bright and often leave trails. About 10-20 meteors per hour at peak can be expected, under optimum conditions. Uncommon surges can sometimes bring the rate to 100 per hour. The radiant is in the constellation Lyra, which rises in the northeast at about 10 p.m. Unfortunately the moon – only one night past full (http://www.earthsky.org/article/full-moon) – will be up all night during this year’s Lyrid shower. Only the most intrepid and stalwart of meteor-watchers will be out there in bright moonlight for the peak of this year’s Lyrid shower.

May 4, 5 and 6, 2008 Eta Aquarids
The shower peaks at around 1 p.m. Central Daylight Time on May 5, and the moon is new (http://www.earthsky.org/article/new-moon) on May 5. That means the moon is absent from the night sky during this shower’s peak, and that makes 2008 a good year for the Eta Aquarids! The radiant for this shower is in the east-southeast at about 4 a.m. Before dawn is the preferred viewing time. For the northern hemisphere, the rates for this shower are only about 10 per hour at maximum. Although low in number, a broad peak to this shower means that some meteors may be seen on the day before and after. The best time to watch is May 5 before dawn. But you’ll see some meteors before dawn on May 4 and May 6 as well.

July 28, 2008 South Delta Aquarids
Like most meteor showers, the best observing for this shower is before dawn. Unlike most meteor showers, this one doesn’t have a very definite peak, despite the date given above. Instead, it rambles along steadily in late July and early August. The July full moon (http://www.earthsky.org/article/full-moon) comes on the night of July 17/18. So by late July, the moon will be waning, leaving the night sky dark for summer meteor-watchers. That’s good news for the Delta Aquarids, and even the August Perseids escape the full force of bright moonlight this year, assuming you watch in the hours before dawn. Watch for the Delta Aquarids before dawn in late July and early August. The meteors will appear to radiate from the southern part of the sky.

August 12, 2008 Perseids
And when we say August 12, we mean that morning … not that night. These typically fast and bright meteors radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus, and, like all meteors in annual showers, they cover a large part of the sky. The Perseids are considered by many people to be the year’s best shower when the moon is out of the way during the shower’s peak. This year’s moon is not quite out of the way during the Perseids, but there is a window for meteor-watching in the hours before dawn. The first quarter moon (http://www.earthsky.org/article/first-quarter) comes on August 8, but full moon (http://www.earthsky.org/article/full-moon) is not until August 16. On the morning of the Perseids’ peak, the moon sets around 3 a.m. (look here (http://www.sunrisesunset.com/custom_srss_calendar.asp) for a custom calendar that can give you moonset in your location) After moonset on the morning of August 12, be sure you’re already in a dark sky location. Lie back and watch meteors until dawn’s light washes the stars, and the meteors, from view.

October 7 or 8, 2008 Draconids
The radiant point of the Draconid meteor shower almost coincides with the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon, in the northern sky. That’s why it is best viewed from the northern hemisphere. This shower is a real oddity, in the respect that its radiant point is highest in the sky as darkness falls. The shower is definitely a sleeper, producing only a handful of languid meteors per hour in most years. But watch out if the dragon awakes! On occasion, fiery Draco has been known to spew forth hundreds – if not thousands – of meteors in a single hour. Since the moon is at first quarter (http://www.earthsky.org/article/first-quarter) this year during the shower’s peak, this hard-to-predict shower is worth checking out. Unlike most meteor showers, more meteors are likely to fly in the evening than the morning hours after midnight. Look northward for Draconid meteors on the evenings of October 7 or 8.

October 20 or 21, 2008 Orionids
These meteors tend to be fast, occasionally leaving persistent trains and producing bright fireballs. They exhibit a maximum of about 15 meteors per hour. If you trace these meteors backwards, they seem to originate from the north of Orion’s bright ruddy star Betelgeuse. The Orionids have a broad and irregular peak that is difficult to predict. Unfortunately, this year, a last quarter (http://www.earthsky.org/article/last-quarter) moon will disrupt the show after midnight, which is when the Orionids are typically at their best, regardless of the exact peak night. The Orionids are probably a wash-out this year.

November 4 or 5, 2008 South Taurids
The South (and North) Taurids are perhaps best suited to diehard meteor enthusiasts. The meteoroid stream that feeds the Taurids is very spread out and dissipated. That means the South Taurids are extremely long lasting (September 17 – November 27), but usually don’t offer a whole lot more than a sprinkling of meteors. At nightfall in the first week of November, look eastward for some meteors. If you catch some, that’s a good sign. Expect the greatest number of meteors to fall around one or two in the morning, when the radiant point of the shower is high overhead. The forecast is for about 7 meteors per hour.

November 11 or 12, 2008 North Taurids
Like the South Taurids, this shower is long lasting (October 12 – December 2) but modest, and the peak number is forecast at 7 as well. Because the South and North Taurids overlap, there’s some chance of catching a few extra meteors per hour. In most years, you would see the maximum numbers at around 1 a.m., when Taurus the Bull rides high in the sky. Unfortunately, in 2008, the nearly full moon will wash most of these meteors from view.

November 17, 2008 Leonids
Historically, the Leonids have produced some of the greatest meteor storms in history, with rates as high as many thousands of meteors per hour. These storms often recur in cycles of 33 years. In 2008, we anticipate more of a whimper than a growl from Leo the Lion, with a maximum of perhaps 10-15 meteors per hour. Like the October Orionids, the Leonids produce swift-moving meteors, and tend to put out the greatest numbers just before dawn. The peak, however, on November 17, also features a large bright waning gibbous (http://www.earthsky.org/article/waning-gibbous) moon in the sky after midnight. Forget the Leonids this year, unless you are a serious meteor observer – or unless you happen to spot a few whizzing past in bright moonlight!

December 13, 2008 Geminids
The Geminids are often the year’s grand finale for meteor-watchers. As a general rule, it’s either the Geminids or the August Perseids that give us the most prolific meteor display of the year. The Geminids tend to intensify and climax at about 2 in the morning. With maximums commonly reaching 50 meteors per hour, this is a glorious time of year to sprawl out on your reclining lawn chair and to take in the show. Just be sure to bring along warm clothing, blankets or sleeping bags, and a thermos with a warm beverage. Unfortunately, there is a bright moon – only one day past full (http://www.earthsky.org/article/full-moon) – for the 2008 Geminid shower. As a result, you probably won’t see very many Geminid meteors this year.

Peak times are derived from data published in the Observer’s Handbook 2007 by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.