meteor shower december 2008
Welcome to the 2008 International Meteor Organization (IMO) Meteor Shower Calendar. [1]
In particular, the Geminid peak falls right when the nearly full Moon dominates the winter sky. [2]
On a given night, this radiant point will remain relatively stationary with respect to the background star constellations; but will rise, traverse the sky, and set in the same manner as the sun and moon. [3]
A waning crescent Moon favours the northern-hemisphere Quadrantids in early January, while the new Moon is still better for the probable southern-hemisphere α-Centaurid peak in February. [1]
While the Alpha Aurigid outburst was very short-lived and relatively weak (not to mention Moon-plagued), favored observers saw some very impressive meteors in a splendid confirmation of predictions. [2]
The peak of the 1998 Leonid meteor shower (rich in bright fireballs), shown in a four-hour time exposure through a fisheye lens, and taken by Juraj Toth of Modra Observatory. [3]
Meteor showers, some of which are known as a “meteor storm”, or “meteor outburst”, are celestial events in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate from one point in the sky. [4]
Please be sure to use the information here when preparing for your observing in 2008, as even some of the stronger showers like the Perseids and Leonids have had minor adjustments made to their radiant locations. [...] Thus, we encourage these more specialist forms of observing too, so all meteor workers, wherever you are and whatever methods you use to record meteors, should follow the standard IMO observing guidelines when compiling your information, and submit those data promptly to the appropriate Commission for analysis. [1]
The result is a meteor shower ‘ the hourly rates rise and the meteors seem to fly away from a common point in the sky called the radiant. [5]
I believe that this shower will be better than the Geminids meteor shower of 2008. [6]
The Eta Aquarids in early May (while difficult to observe due to the southerly radiant and its proximity to the Sun) are moon-free. [2]
A gibbous Moon will overpower all but the brightest meteors.. [7]
Eastern time with as many as 100 meteors an hour streaming from its radiant in northern Bo?tes. [5]
Like last month the moon washed out most of the visible meteors, but the Ursids may be different. [6]
Sources:
[1] IMO Meteor Shower Calendar 2008 (www.imo.net/calendar/2008)
[2] Major Meteor Showers in 2008 (skytour.homestead.com/met2008.html)
[3] AMS Meteor Showers Page (www.amsmeteors.org/showers.html)
[4] Meteor shower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteor_shower)
[5] Meteor Showers in 2008 (www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/
[6] Meteor Showers - Meteors - Geminids - December 2008 - MeteorBlog.com (www.meteorblog.com)
[7] StarDate Online | 2008 Meteor Showers and Viewing Tips (stardate.org/nightsky/meteors)