Lesley Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 .....tonight at midnight, the Orionids meteor shower. The sky is fairly clear here at the moment........ "Though the Orionids are not one of the most spectaculer showers with peak rates around 20 per hour, they are interesting as it is believed that the meteors originate from Comet Halley. It is worth looking out for them for a week around the 21st as the shower is long lived. They will best be seen in the hours before dawn when Orion is high in the southern sky. The star chart shows where they appear to radiate from - called the radiant - at the upper left of Orion, close to the boarder with Gemini. Its best to look almost vertically where the sky is most transparent. Pleasingly, the Moon is not long after new, so its light will not interfere. The Halley meteors are amongst the fastest and enter the upper atmosphere at ~41 km per hour and often leave what are called persistant trains - streaks of ionized gas as the incoming dust particles burn up in the atmosphere. Halley's Comet actually gives us two meteor showers per year as we intersect its orbit twice as the Earth orbits the Sun. The other is in May and the shower is called the Eta Aquarid shower" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Sounds interesting If I'm awake that long I'll let you know if I see anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Just had a look but after weeks of clear skies...................nothing, totally overcast Will have a look tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Really cloudy here + can't see anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Whenever there are Meteor showers the skies always cloud over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Sat out to watch the Perseids in August when it was most unusually clear but it was freezing so gave up after only half an hour. When hubby and I were sleeping under the stars in the Sahara we saw quite a few shooting stars and loads of satellites. I can tell you it's so busy out there it's a wonder there are no collisions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Tha space station is coming back into view again, around 6am I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Tha space station is coming back into view again, around 6am I think. I don't think I'll be in view at that time...........except in a snoring heap as we are on half term already, though if DD does recover quickly I may be Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Ohhhh rugger - forgot about this - apprently if you find Orion then up to the left is where the stars are falling from . Tuesday was supposed to be the peak - but it should continue all week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Far too much cloud here now When we had that lovely display of Leonids a few years back, I drove out into the fields, wound the full length sunroof on the van right back and lay on the back seat in a blanket and watched for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jan246 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Totally cloudy here too . We tried to watch the Leonids in August at Durleston Park, Swanage where they have a little observatory and stuff.........TOTAL CLOUD COVER!!! (Altho we got a great night a couple of years back when I wished upon my very first shooting star! . Will look out tonight.....you never know. Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 I watched them at 3.30 - Orion was visible from our bedroom window and the sky was so clear!! I didn't even have to go outside There were about one a minute and I watched couple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Fell asleep... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
