Perseid meteor shower

[Liz]

Looking forward to this one this year, as they reckon it will be a beauty.
Living this far north will give us better views than many of you southerners :D
All I have to do is crawl outa bed to watch it.

POSSIBLE PERSEID METEOR OUTBURST: This year's Perseid meteor shower could be even better than usual. According to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, a filament of comet dust has drifted across Earth's path and when Earth passes through it, sometime between 0800 and 0900 UT (1 - 2 am PDT) on August 12th, the Perseid meteor rate could surge to twice its normal value. Check http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com/) for details and observing tips.

http://blog.askyfullofstars.com/2009/08/a-perseids-party/

[cookie8]

Thanks Liz for the heads up. Is it Monday night Tue morming 1am the best time to look?

[Liz]

Hi Vincent - this is a bit from Ian Musgrave at Southern Sky Watch
http://home.mira.net/~reynella/skywatch/ssky.htm (http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/ssky.htm)


Sadly, the Perseids are very low on the horizon in Australia and for all of us south of Brisbane, the radiant (where the meteors appear to originate in the sky) will be below the horizon. While the ZHR is around 100, Australian observers in the North should expect to see 6-7 meteors per hour under clear conditions. On August the 12th and 13th, between around 3.30 am and 5.30 am (yes, that's right, bleeding cold morning time), go out and face North. The meteor shower will be between two to three handspans from the horizon. A map showing the location of the meteor radiant as seen facing north from Brisbane at 4.00 am is here (http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/gifs/aug_per.gif). (also useful for Alice Springs and Darwin, Townsville etc. where the radiant is higher). The waning Moon will interfere with seeing meteors though.

..... so Tuesday am in the wee hours before dawn.

[Rod66]

I have yet to see this shower present anything more than a few trails every 30 minutes. I live on in hope that one day its as good as all the hype says it is.. thanks for the heads up though.

[Liz]

Yeah, I know Rod, am in the same boat in not having seen a good Perseid shower, but they reckon this year will be a good one, so will try again.
Your being in Brissy will be a bonus :)

[Liz]

Popped out this am between 0400 -0430, an did not see ANY meteors. There is a Moon around ... but still ... try again tomorrow am.

[cookie8]

According to this Texas website
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/
The perseids should peak at pre-dawn Thursday morning Australian east coast time.i.e. 13Aug before sunrise

[picklesrules]

anything for us west coasters?

[Liz]

I got up again this am from 4.30 - 6am - not a meteor to be seen!!!! Not even a little sporadic fella. Granted the Moon is washing out a few, but thought I would be some meteors.
Am working tonight, but will ... try again on Thurs am ... then I give up???
Anyone else seeing any?

Nicholas - they are SUPPOSED to be seen from Brisbane latitude up, so depends on your latitude .... but I think its also a matter of 'timing'...... when Earth passes through 'the stream'. Give it ago.

[Karls48]

Last night it was cloudy here so Meteor camera was not on. Previous night it did capture only four sporadic meteors. In June this year there were two nights with no meteor capture at all. I did not look on my previous records, but this year there does t seems to be much of meteor activity at all. Perseids meteors have been always disappointing from my location.

[picklesrules]

cheers liz ill try time to set the old alarm wat time are we passing through

[Liz]

Thanks guys, and keep up the observing!!

This from Spaceweather today -

The Perseid meteor shower is about to peak. The show begins after sunset on Tuesday, August 11th, and continues until the sun rises on Wednesday, August 12th. A time of particular interest is 0800-0900 GMT (1-2 a.m. PDT) on the 12th. That's when Earth is expected to pass through a denser-than-usual filament of dust from Perseid parent Comet Swift-Tuttle. Forecasters are unsure what will happen, but some have speculated that meteor rates could surge as high as 200 per hour. Bright moonlight will blot out many of those Perseids, but even a fraction of 200 is a good show.

0800 -0900 GMT on 12/8 ... this is US based, but does that mean 1800 hrs our time ... which is the evening?? Not sure how to work that out.
Otherwise will stick to Vincents Thurs am ... fingers crossed.

[Rob_K]

Hi Liz! The key times for us are after sunset tomorrow evening (Wed 12th) when Earth passes through a filament, and early morning on Thursday for the main show. Hate these US-centric alerts, LOL - the whole world is watching and has no idea what PDTs & ESTs are...

Good luck with it - I'll keep my eyes peeled for any that make it through the clouds!! :whistle:

Cheers -

[mithrandir]

At 18:00 AEST Perseus is about 80° below the horizon in Sydney. It doesn't rise till about 02:00 AEST. Transit is at ~05:40 at around 15°

Considering that Astronomical twilight is 05:15, are we likely to see anything?

[Liz]

Hi Rob ;) .... Wed sunset doesnt sound a goer, but Thurs am may be better - 3am onwards do you think?
Yes, those US timezones are very confusing.

Andrew - I dont how how Sydney will fare ... but may be worth a look on Thurs am .... you never know :rolleyes:

[Rob_K]

When it gets dark on Wed in Darwin (7:30pm your time?) the Perseid radiant will still be 43 degrees below the horizon (assume the 'filament' radiant is roughly the same as the main radiant). But at least the sky will be dark! I'd still have a look in the NNE, as it's easy compared to getting up early in the morning - ya never know! However, in San Francisco for instance the radiant will be 41 deg above the horizon at peak 'filament' time (1am their time) so it would be great for them.

For Thurs morning, 3-5am will be a good time for you. The radiant is still low, but at least it gets above the horizon! (9 deg at 3am, 18 deg at 5am - look in the north). In Sydney, the radiant doesn't quite get above the horizon Thurs morning, but still worth a look if you're an early bird...

Good luck!

EDIT: Eh, Darwin?? Sorry Liz, you're Townsville, dunno where I got Darwin from?? :doh: However, similar stuff LOL, GO FOR IT! :thumbsup:

Cheers -

[Kirkus]

I know exactly what PDTs & ESTs mean. ;)

Very much looking forward to this shower.

[NeilW]

I guess Adelaide would be way too far south to see anything then? :(

[Liz]

doh :sadeyes: ............so jealous Kirk!!

Let us know how it went, and let it be a good one, enjoy.
I'm not giving up yet!! Camera batteries charged and ready too.

[Rob_K]

Oops! :lol: Good luck & don't forget to post a report Kirk! :thumbsup:


Neil, radiant will be 3 deg below the horizon in Adelaide at first light tomorrow morning. Still worth a look if you're up & about (and if the clouds disappear)!

Cheers -

[Liz]

Not a cloud in the sky here Rob :)

[renormalised]

Yes, I know, and hopefully I'll be up around 4 or so to have a look. May even take some piccies.

[renormalised]

If you want to know what time 1-2am PST (Pacific Savings Time) is here in Oz, then add +17hours to their time for the east coast. It comes out to 7pm tonight. We'll be 8 to 10 hours past the stream, or more than double the distance of the Moon is in it's orbit, away from the centre of the main stream.

[Liz]

Hmmm, ... have just been outside for last 45 min (6.45-7.30pm) - gorg night with clear skies, and fireflies, but not a meteor to be see.
Save myself now for the am. :):)

[renormalised]

We won't see them now Liz. The radiant will be too far below the horizon.

[cookie8]

I've never seen a decent meteor shower. Will set alarm around 4am. Not expecting too much but not a cloud in the sky now so it could be my first who knows?

[Liz]

Good luck Vincent!! Am sure there will be a few of us with high hopes.
You didnt see the Leonid shower of quite a few year ago???? .... spectacular,and I will never see as many meteors again!! I roughly counted that night and came up with ... 100s and 100s and 100s!!!!!
havent got high hopes for this one, but a few would be nice.
Tomorrow am will be the telling of the results. :)

[christofunk]

Hey guys. I'm staying up tonight to see if I can catch a glimpse.

I'm in Adelaide and don't have the best sightlines of the horizon but hopefully I'll at least see something.

Anyone else staying up with me?

Just confirming that north is the best place to look? Or just in that general direction? And by hand-spans is that measured by hand facing flat or hand on the side with palm facing you?

You can tell I'm new at this but want to get into it. Need to get a telescope and start reading up :)

[Davros]

Christopher, i think you will be way to far South to see anything.

[spikeface]

yup! i'm still up as always, periodically checking the cloudless sky outside... but no perseid. i hear adelaide isn't the best spot tonight...

[spikeface]

i saw ONE!


satisfying!

[hendo]

Well that's one more than I saw - you lucky devil! :P

[Liz]

Have been out for about an hour ... have seen about 15!!! Including one beauty that left a massive trail. (camera not on:() ...... trying to shelter from the Moon so not to ruin my sight ..... now there is moisture everywhere, camera lens dripping!! Inside to dry out for 10 min then back out. Great night so far, nonetheless :):)

[Liz]

Oh ... :welcome: Christopher!!!! Good luck on catching 1 or 2 or 3!!

[Found]

Up at 2.30
Saw four between 4.00 and 4.30

[Liz]

Good effort Peter, shame there werent a few more.

I didnt see many more from 4am - most of the 15 I saw were from 0300 - 0330, may have been a lot more before I went out ... who knows, but am happy I saw what I saw!! Back to bed now:zzz2::zzz2:

[StephenM]

Sounds like you had the best of them Liz! I was out photographing from 4:30 until about 5am, saw a couple of Perseids and managed to catch one with the camera just before 5am :). I've just posted an image in the Solar System forum.

Cheers,
Stephen

[Liz]

Yeah .. well done Stephen!!
I might try again tomorrw am, but a bit earlier than todays 0300, cos thats when all the action was already happening :)

[NeilW]

I was observing from Adelaide suburbs, but with bright streetlighting, a poor view of the northern sky combined with the moon, I didn't see a single one :shrug: Bring on the Leonids in November!!

[erick]

Glad some people caught some. You did well from the Southern Hemisphere.

I didn't see any :sadeyes: Mind you, I was asleep in bed. :rolleyes:

[Terry B]

I was in my observatory (at -30deg S) last night taking pics of the nova in sgr. Whilst there I saw about 8 meteors between 2100 hrs and 2230. They were mostly directly overhead and came from the east.
This is many more than I would normally see as I'm not spending much time looking up to see them.
?perseids or just random meteors.

[cookie8]

Looked towards NE this am from 3:30 to 5:30. Only saw 2 Perseids and one random.One of the perseids was special: not the brightest but certainly the longest I've ever seen. Started real low in the north at 5am, came up just above Orion and carried on all the way to the south. Covered at least 120 degree of sky and took 5 or 6 sec to burn. Awesome!!

[Liz]

Yes ... I saw one of them too Vincent - about 0305 and started in the NE and headed west through Pegasus. It also lasted at least 4-5 sec, and was awesome!!