Meteor Shower Info
2008 METEOR SHOWER SCHEDULE
|
Shower |
Radiant and direction |
Morning of maximum |
Hourly rate |
| Quadrantid | Draco (NE) | Jan. 4 | 100 |
| Lyrid* | Lyra (E) | Apr. 22 | 10-20 |
| Eta Aquarid | Aquarius (E) | May 5 | 20-40 |
| Delta Aquarid | Aquarius (S) | July 29 | 20 |
| Perseid | Perseus (NE) | Aug. 12 | 60 |
| Orionid* | Orion (SE) | Oct. 21 | 10-15 |
| Leonid* | Leo (E) | Nov. 17 | 10 |
| Geminid* | Gemini (S) | Dec. 14 | 75 |
ORIONIDS ARE NEXT MAJOR METEOR SHOWER IN 2008
Around October 20, 2008 the Orionid Meteor Shower will peak, offering 15-20 meteors per hour to viewers under dark skies. The "shooting stars" will appear to originate from the easily identifiable constellation Orion. There are other, minor meteor storms that peak around the same time, so if you happen to see a meteor coming from a different part of the sky, chances are that it belongs to a shower other than the Orionids.
The Orionids actually last for about two weeks, beginning on October 15, 2008 and finishing up around October 29. The Orionid Meteor Shower is the result of Earth passing through debris left by Halley's Comet.
HERE COMES THE 2008 PERSEID METEOR SHOWER
The Perseid Meteor Shower presents its annual display of "shooting stars" August 10 - 14. It peaks on Tuesday morning, August 12 before dawn. At that time, a viewer should be able to see an average of at least one meteor per minute, depending on conditions and location. Wait until the moon has set (around 2:00 AM PST) for best viewing.
The Perseids get their name from the constellation Perseus, from which they seem to emenate. The Perseids are the remnants of Comet Swift-Tuttle, and every year around mid-August, the Earth passes through the comet's debris. The frequency of the meteors depends largely on the position of the Earth relative to the comet's debris field.
NOTES FROM THE AURIGID METEOR SHOWER:
September 1, 2007 --- 4:30 AM PST
Although the sky was totally clear here on the West Coast, the gibbous moon provided a good deal of light intereference. Starting at around 4:15, the shower seemed to peak until about 4:40. During that time, at least 15 meteors were viewed by this observer. A couple of meteors sighted were yellow in color, with extended tails. Most were viewed in the Western sky, although some also appeared straight overhead.
Orionids --- October 21, 2007
Even though Halley's comet doesn't return until 2061, small pieces of this celestial body will be streaking across the sky. The Orionids meteor shower should offer about two dozen meteors per hour.
Some scientists believe that Halley's Comet sheds around 20 feet of dust and ice particles each time it passes through the solar system.
Earth passes near the orbit of Halley's Comet's debris field twice each year: the Orionids shower fall in October and the Aquarids in May.
ABOUT METEOR SHOWERS:
As they pass by the sun, comets give off particles. This is the icy, dusty debris that melts away as a result of the sun's heat. When the Earth travels through this debris, we will get a meteor shower.
Meteor showers are often named for the constellation from which meteors appear to originate from.
Meteors are often referred to as Shooting Stars or Falling Stars.
Most meteors are burned up in the Earth's atmosphere. It is rare for a meteor to hit the surface of the Earth. If a meteor does hit the surface of the Earth, it is called a meteorite.
Dark skies are essential for best meteor shower viewing. If the moon is out, and is over 1/4 full, it will be hard to see more than all but the brightest meteors that night.
