Though the Leonids produce fewer meteors than many different of the main meteor showers, they’re identified for producing fast-moving, vivid, fireball meteors.
The Leonids peak simply earlier than the brand new moon—on the morning of November 18, the moon can be simply 6 p.c illuminated and within the jap US received’t rise till round 5 am on November 17, so that you’ll have ample time to see this meteor bathe beneath excellent viewing circumstances.
The Leonids’ radiant is the constellation Leo, which rises round midnight native time and is highest within the sky round daybreak.
The Geminids (December)
The Geminids are energetic from about December 4 to December 17, peaking in a single day from December 13 to December 14. They’ve a pointy peak, so the night time of the thirteenth is the most effective time for skywatching.
The Geminids are essentially the most spectacular meteor bathe of the yr: Along with boasting as much as 120 and even 150 meteors per hour throughout its peak, this meteor bathe can also be the brightest and most colourful of the yr.
The Geminids are vivid, slow-moving meteors that always have yellow tones, however they could be a vary of different colours, together with inexperienced, blue, white, purple, or orange. And in contrast to most meteors, that are attributable to comet particles, the Geminids are the remnant of an asteroid.
The night time that the Geminids’ peak, the their radiant, the constellation Gemini, can be above the horizon all night time and can attain its highest level round 2 am native time, so meteors can be seen nearly the entire night time.
That very same night time, the moon can be about 32 p.c illuminated and can rise round 1:30 am within the jap US, so should you watch this bathe shortly after midnight, the moonlight received’t intervene along with your viewing expertise.
The Ursids (December)
The Ursids are energetic round December 17 to December 26, peaking within the early morning hours of December 22. This meteor bathe is much less energetic than others, sometimes yields about 10 meteors per hour; nevertheless, viewing circumstances can be excellent for skywatching. The moon will set at roughly 6 pm within the jap US on the twenty first, so no moonlight will intervene with this meteor bathe.
Despite the fact that the Ursids sometimes produce essentially the most meteors simply earlier than daybreak, when its radiant, the Little Dipper (or Ursa Minor), is highest within the sky, it is possible for you to to see meteors all through all the night time throughout this bathe’s peak. In northern latitudes the Ursids’ radiant is above the horizon all night time.
Showers to Look Out for Subsequent 12 months
The Quadrantids (January)
The Quadrantids happen in December and January and peak throughout the first week of the yr. This meteor bathe has a pointy peak, which means that the majority of its exercise happens in a slender window of time. The Quadrantids sometimes produce many fireball meteors—that’s, meteors which might be very vivid—with as much as 120 meteors per hour throughout the bathe’s peak.
The Quadrantids’ radiant is the constellation Quadrans Muralis, although the Worldwide Astronomical Union now not acknowledges this group of stars as a constellation. As an alternative is the constellation Boötes, which is subsequent to the Huge Dipper.
