Geminid Meteor Shower

[Darren Bown]

It's that time of year again!

Geminids are the most reliable showers of the year, having great shows either side of the maximum on the night of the 13th. I saw 5 last night, but alas, cloudy skies are hindering my view tonight!

[stewfox]

One came early last week ? was on the radio seen over a very wide region.

[Darren Bown]

Yes I heard about that, it was possibly just a sporadic one

[Mesosphere]

not seen any yet but i'll keep my eyes peeled

Also , the moon shouldnt pose any problems this year , it's at 41% phase atm so it'll set well before midnight in the next few days. So after midnight you should see loads.

If anyone's out viewing the geminids , also take a peek at Jupiter (sets around midnight , it'll be in the southern sky) and Venus (in the morning sky , rises 4 hours before sunrise)

[chrisb1357]

Hi all

Can anyone advise me which direction to look towards around midnight each night. Is it around south

Chris

[Darren Bown]

Look eastwards, but by around midnight the radiant will be right ahead so anywhere in the sky! Wish I wasn't in work at 7am this week, can't stay up late at all, will have a peek tomorrow morning though

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

not seen any yet but i'll keep my eyes peeled

Also , the moon shouldnt pose any problems this year , it's at 41% phase atm so it'll set well before midnight in the next few days. So after midnight you should see loads.

If anyone's out viewing the geminids , also take a peek at Jupiter (sets around midnight , it'll be in the southern sky) and Venus (in the morning sky , rises 4 hours before sunrise)

Saturday Morning at 05:50, saw two meteors within 30 seconds, but to me the radiant didn't look as though they were geminids, Both were visible in an East to West trajectory pretty much from overhead

[Mesosphere]

Saturday Morning at 05:50, saw two meteors within 30 seconds, but to me the radiant didn't look as though they were geminids, Both were visible in an East to West trajectory pretty much from overhead

sound like sporadics to me. There rate usually tends to pick up in the early hours before sunrise , i think you can see between 8 and 10 any night and they can occur in any part of the sky.

Interesting piece of info for everyone , the geminids parent object isnt a comet as is the case with many meteor showers. It's infact an asteroid (3200 Phaethon) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3200_Phaethon

[Darren Bown]

Saw 2 around an hour ago, but gone very cloudy now

[frogesque]

Spotted a couple last night around midnight but total cloud cover outside just now.

[Verglas]

saw 3 and a very dim one, got lots of photos of orion or nothing !

[Ratbag]

Well after all the hype so far ive seen NOTHING!! Normally where i am i can see loads of stars BUT tonight the sky is thick black and there isnt 1 single star!! So ive stayed up for nothing! Grrrrrr

[ZONE 51]

Their is clear frosty nights ahead..and we would get further chances..even after the peak is gone(i think) just less of them per min/hr.