Watch it!!! Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Nov,17-19.....Thats tonight!!!!

After 3 nights, finally saw a decent one and now it is clouding up.
Not a very good one to watch thus far.

I've spent quite a lot fo time watching the night sky (which was very clear) and didn't see one. I m a bit discouraged this time- I usually love watching all the falling stars.....

mugger/Bluesma,

This years Leonid meteor shower was never forcast to be shower that had high meteor rates (visually at least). This was in fact a "normal" year for the Leonids, which usually don't exceed 20 per hour under ideal conditions.

Most meteors are relatively dim, so unless you are observing from a good dark-sky site when the rate is at it's peak (this changes throught the night as the Leonid radiant climbs higher in the sky, so you'll see more just before dawn when the radiant is highest in the sky), you won't see the maximum rates.

Don't let the poor show put on by this year's Leonids put you off. We have 3 meteor showers next year that present much better opportunities for observing higher rates of meteors, all of them with little to no moonlight interference during the best hours to observe.

Firstly the Quadrantids at the start of January, then the Perseids during August, and lastly (but not least) the Geminids in December, which is probably the most reliable of all current annual meteor showers. Unfortunately this year's Geminid meteor shower will suffer reduced rates due to bright moonlight.

If the weather cooperates, it should be possible to observe a few hundred meteors during the peak nights of either of showers I've mentioned above, providing you have a good observing site and you use proper meteor observing techniques. Hedge your bets and plan to observe all three showers to increase your chances of catching a clear night. The Geminids and Perseids especially have broad peaks that extend into the nights either side of the peak night, meaning you can still observe relatively high rates either side of the peak.

Related links:
List of meteor showers in 2012 from the IMO
Meteor shower calender from Meteor Showers Online

I new it was low, expected a few more visible ones in 3 days. I've watched the other showers this year and were decent.I have a feeling I saw a few more very faint ones.Hard to tell with the moon up near the shower.

reply to post by mugger


This year has been a bit of a poor year for observing meteors, with all the major showers affected by moonlight. You would have almost certainly "missed" meteors because they were at the threshold of visibility. That's normal. In my experience even more so the darker the site you are observing from/conditions you are observing under.

Good to hear that you are making an effort to observe despite the lack of "spectacular showers"

If you keep it up, your efforts will be rewarded with lots of bright meteors.

reply to post by C.H.U.D.


didn't see anything as well..For one it was way to cold...I was hoping it would be great..Nothing to see here where i live

Originally posted by eeks4
reply to post by C.H.U.D.

 

didn't see anything as well..For one it was way to cold...I was hoping it would be great..Nothing to see here where i live

That's a shame, but as I said before don't let that put you off observing future meteor showers.

Also, if you prepare properly for the cold, you should have no trouble staying out all night, even if it's below zero. Have a look at the tips posted in the Geminids thread.

If you are somewhere that gets seriously cold (well below zero) you just need lots of layers of clothes, preferably designed for the cold. That and a sleeping bag or two should be all you need in most circumstances.

reply to post by C.H.U.D.


Yea maybe next time

reply to post by eeks4


Here's some more encouragement

APOD 2011 November 22 - Leonid Fireball over Tenerife

reply to post by eeks4


I wasn't sure where to post this and I am a noob here so I can't start a thread. Tonight at about 7:40pm est I saw one of the top 5 coolest things I have ever seen in my 51 years. A meteor or fireball, not a shooting star, I have seen plenty of those. This was coming in at about 45 degrees from west to east. I can't estimate how far it was from where I stood but I fully expected to hear an explosion when it hit. I did not however hear any impact, and being near the coast of SE NC I imagine it may have hit in the ocean.

It was so clear I can still picture it clearly. I could see fiery debris coming off the ball of fire and it was so bright it was illuminating the trail behind it. Wow.........that was wild....