meteor shower

[slunn]

i was just wondering if anyone knows how i can find out what specific locations are best for viewing the meteor shower tonight (11/17/07) im in north carolina and im not sure if ill be able to see it or not?

 

[adrenalynn]

The radiant is in the constellation Leo.<br /><br />They will be radiating in all directions from there. Yes, you'll certainly be seeing meteors after Leo rises. Just after 1am (your time), I'd start off looking in the E/NE sky from the horizon to almost straight up. Just looking in that direction is a good place to start, but don't fixate. Find the best view you can by looking around.<br /><br />Last night, I was observing an average 5/hr after 2am in the SE sky.<br /><br />Our resident meteor expert is MeteorWayne. If he chimes in, ignore everything I just said and go with his post.<br /><br />Welcome to SDC! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Really, the best thing to do is pick the darkest part of the sky you have from the north through east to the south.<br /><br />Don't expect too much from the Leonids this year, expecially from the US.<br />The "annual peak" of ~ 15 per hour and the possible <br />outburst" peak of ~ 60 per hour are not visible from the US, so waht Adrenalynn saw is probably close to as good as it gets this year.<br /><br />Of course, it's cloudy here in the Northeast, so the 3 LEonids I saw earlier this month may be my haul for the entire year <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />There is a thread in Space Science and Astronomy addressing the 2007 Leonids, which I will bump.<br /><br />Oh well, the GEminids (best shower of the year) are less than a month away <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

I believe that was the wimpiest Leonids I've ever observed. You didn't miss much... The calculated peak was more of a fizzle. The night before was actually better. We had great conditions last night. Most stable skies I've ever seen here. 4/5 Seeing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Actually, you weren't in a position to observe either peak so the poor showing isn't surprising. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Yeah... Welllll.... Atleast <i>I</i> had clear skies! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Like I said, I'd rather have clear skies for the Geminids this year <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <br /><br />Leonids 2007 Activity chart <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Dr. Jenniskens, just down the road a piece, suggested that the shower was pretty good - that we were in a filament. I'm not sure if he attended the same shower I did, however. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Yes but that was not in California.<br />The filaments were reported from Asia and Europe, as I wrote in the first post of the 2007 Leonid thread in Space Science and Astronomy. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Sorry to differ, but yes - Dr Jenniskens was observing from about 80mi away from me (as the crow flies) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Yes, but that was a ZHR of 23, which is calculated with the radiant at the zenith and a limiting magnitude of +6.5.<br /><br />Under your sky conditions, that would have been about 4 an hour <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Note he said:<br />"The Leonid ZHR on Nov. 18 9:30-13:30 UT was measured at 23 +/- 4. <br />(That's the California observing window)<br /><font color="orange">The International Meteor Organization reports that rates continued to increase and has reached ZHR ~ 42/hr over Europe in the night of Nov. 18/19. </font><br />This is stronger than expected for the annual Leonid shower and shows that the Filament component has returned. Sadly, we will not be able to confirm the high rates in N. California, because of overcast skies tonight - Peter Jenniskens. <br /><br />If you look at the IMO chart,I linked to, you can see two peaks, as predicted by the IMO and Peter.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Actually, I missed the 42/hr entirely. I was going for the 23/hr. (We were under mag 6 skies, with 4/5 transparency, 4/5 seeing, btw.) That's why I was wondering if he was attending the same shower since we never got much above 6/hr. But there's a good chance I fell asleep in there somewhere too. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

OH, I thought you were home <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />6/Hr under +6 skies is pretty slow. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

IT's unfortunate that Dr Jenniskens does not report his visual data to the IMO. <br /><br />In fact so far, there are no reports filed from anyone in California. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>