Quadrantids Meteor Shower- January 3-4, 2011

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "Typically, 40 or so bright, blue and fast (25.5 miles per second) meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, some blazing more than halfway across the sky. A small percentage of them leave persistent dust trains. This shower usually has a very sharp peak, usually lasting only about an hour."

Parent Comet: 2003 EH1

The website: http://www.theskyscrapers.org/meteors/index.php/year/2011 reports:
"The Quadrantids are an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower usually peaks on January 3 & 4, but some meteors can be visible from January 1 - 5. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Look for meteors radiating from the constellation Bootes."

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Geminids Meteor Shower - December 13-14, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids are characterized by their multi-colored display--65% being white, 26% yellow, and the remaining 9% blue, red and green."

Parent Comet: 3200 Phaethon

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Leonids Meteor Shower - November 17-18, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "The Leonids are best known for their 33-year peaks, during which 100s of meteors per hour can be observed. The last of these peaks occurred in 2001."

Parent Comet: 55P/Tempel-Tuttle

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Orionids Meteor Shower- October 21-22, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "This shower produces a peak rate of 20 yellow and green meteors per hour, which are fast moving at 41.6 miles per second and are known to produce fireballs."

Parent Comet: 1P/Halley
Moon Phase: Full

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Draconids Meteor Shower- October 8-9, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "Expect a peak rate of 10 meteors per hour under clear, moonless conditions."

Parent Comet: 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
Moon Phase: New

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Perseids Meteor Shower - August 12-13, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "This shower produces about 60 meteors per hour, and its performance is farily consistant from year to year."

Parent Comet: 109P/Swift-Tuttle

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Capricornids Meteor Shower - July 29-30, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "The Capricornids are characterized by their often yellow coloration and their frequent brightness. They are also slow interplanetary interlopers, hitting our atmosphere at around 15 miles per second. Though you can expect only 15 meteors per hour at best under dark sky conditions, the Capricornids are noted for producing brilliant fireballs."

Parent Comet: unknown

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower - July 28-29, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "At peak time about 20 bright, yellow meteors can be observed per hour. Because these meteors nearly broadside the Earth, their speed is a moderate 25.5 miles per second."

Parent Comet: unknown

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Lyrids Meteor Shower - June 14-16, 2010

Amateur Astronomers of Rhode Island Reports: "
The June Lyrids is a low-rate shower during which you could see up to 10 meteors per hour during its peak."

Parent Comet: unknown

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

2005 Video of Meteor Impressive

Geminids Meteor Shower (Dec. 13 and 14)

December 13 and 14, 2009 you will be able to see the Geminid meteor shower at night under a almost New Moon sky. To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that has been posted numerous times on my blog:


For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Leonids Meteor Shower (Nov. 17 and 18)

November 17th and 18th at after midnight looking toward to constellation Leo you will be able to see the Leonids meteor shower during the New Moon sky. The moon will be out of the area this year so it should be a good show.

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource (Posted a while back here but it is still good):


Upcoming Showers
Leonids - November 17/18, 2009 at night and in morning; moon will be new Moon.
Geminids - December 13/14, 2009 at night; moon will be near new Moon

For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Orionids Meteor Shower (Oct. 21, 2009)

The morning of October 21, 2009 you will be able to see the Orionids meteor shower under a near New Moon sky.

To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource that I've previously posted on my blog:


Orionids - October 21, 2009 in morning moon will be near new Moon.
Leonids - November 17/18, 2009 at night and in morning; moon will be new Moon.
Geminids - December 13/14, 2009 at night; moon will be near new Moon

For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Encounter with Cactus and Meteors. (weekend Star Party)

Saturday afternoon I loaded up my Jeep with my favorite folding chair, my homemade 4" Dobsonian and other gear. After double checking my packing list I headed to Rudy's BBQ on I-10 in Leon Springs. Rudy's is a great BBQ place, but they advertise as the "Worst BBQ in Texas." I guess this little ad campaign works because every time I've been there it was busy and to day was no exception. This was the meet-up place for the members of the San Antonio Astronomical Association who were planning on driving out to the Cat's Meow Bed & Breakfast, our dark-sky site to do some maintenance on the observing field and get in a little viewing.

I got there and enjoyed a plate of BBQ with a few of the members. Once we finished dinner we each got in our vehicle and caravaned out to our dark sky site near Fredricksburg, Texas. A few of people where already there. I parked grabbed my shovel, bucket and started searching for those needle covered things we call cactus. I filled my bucket a few times and soon the sun was starting it's plunge below the trees in the western horizon. I went to my jeep and began setting up for the evenings activities. My scope of choice was Snoopy the "Helotescope" (my home built 4" telescope). Then I set my chair in the circle of dicussion that was going on behind one of the member's telescope trailer (which houses a 30" Obsession Telescope).

During the that majestic hour after sunset when the stars slowly come out to play, a group of us shot the breeze for a while talking about various other topics while watching stars appear in clear sky that was overhead. Then when it was nice and dark we parted our ways and headed to our telescopes. I we set up behind my Jeep in the pasture we called the "Telescope Field." To the North of my telescope was another dobnosian whose user had a plan to observe a few Messier objects. To the south was our club's newsletter editor who was waiting for Jupiter to rise so he could photograph it with his Jupiter with a webcam.

We enjoyed about an hour of a moonless night and I looked at the Whirlpool Galaxy (m51)and the Ring Nebula (m57). Then clouds started coming in from the east. Before they settled in I used my telescope to observe M80 in the same fashion as Hershel by letting the image drift across the eyepeice. I did this repeatably to train my eye to notice details in smaller star clusters such as M80. I must have viewed M80 for about 30 minutes.

Then he clouds dominated for a while. While they moved through the astronomers on the telescope field socialized. We could see the moon rising behind the clouds.

About an hour later it was clear again. But now the moon was lighting up the night sky. I took in some views of Jupiter and the moon. This have me a chance to try out my Meade Planetary filter set that I had for a while but never really used. I could see two shadows of the Satellites of Jupiter on the planet. Being a 4" I could resolve the planet as good as some others that night so I headed over to Mr. Kelly's Schmidt-Cassegrain where we observed Jupiter and tired filters on Jupiter. We found the green filter really enhanced the banding and the shadows.

Around midnight I put my scope back in my Jeep and walked over to the circle of chairs and settled in for the Meteor shower. This night wasn't the peak but it was really enjoyable. There is something to be said for just sitting there watching the sky for hours on end. Bryan the obsession owner had Music playing and it was relaxing. I worked on my Astronomical League Meteor Observing list while we sat there, talked and joked around. Sometimes we'd hear snoring as someone drifted into a nap... but I remained awake and logged four hours toward the six required for the Leagues award pin. I logged 30 meteors that night most near Cassiopeia. The brightest I estimated at magnitude -4 at 3:50 AM (CST).

While sitting there star gazing Bryan our club's chairman got his green laser pointer and taught us about visual magnitudes using Lyra. He taught us about variable stars (ones whose magnitude-brightness changes) and about the Chicago Conference he attended about Citizen Science with Epsilon Aurigae.

About 4:30am we caravanned back to San Antonio. I got home about 5:30 am ate dinner and went to bed.

Perseids Meteor Shower- Morning of Aug. 12, 2009

On August 12, 2009 you will be able to see the Perseids meteor shower in the morning. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. Look to the northeast after midnight.



To prepare you for this I found this wonderful resource:


Upcoming Showers
Orionids - October 21, 2009 in morning moon will be near new Moon.
Leonids - November 17/18, 2009 at night and in morning; moon will be new Moon.
Geminids - December 13/14, 2009 at night; moon will be near new Moon.

Time Lapse Video I found of the Perseids Video from 2007:



For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/