Flutterby™! : Leonids

Leonids

2001-11-16 20:25:55+01 by Dan Lyke 1 comments

Meteor storm of a lifetime this weekend. Might actually be clear in the Bay Area, although not over Marin, so we'll probably have to drive somewhere.

[ related topics: Bay Area Astronomy ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment made: 2002-02-21 06:33:21+01 by: John Abbe

From today's Slashdot thread:

(On when will be best--Pacific time:)

For instance the four major teams that are providing rate predictions show that between 2000-2300 you might see anywhere from 4-160 meteors per hour.

The predicted range per hour at 0200-0230 is 800-3500!!!

(And general advice:)

Use a deckchair or recliner to avoid straining your neck. Without one you'll be in agony within 30 minutes.
If nothing much is happening when you first start looking, remember that it takes at least 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the darkness. Meteors tend to come in short bursts of activity, followed by a quieter patch, so give it an hour or two.
Don't expect the 4th of July! They're "just" ordinary shooting stars - it's just that the rates will be much much higher than normal. This also improves your chances of seeing 'bolides', aka fireballs - these are meteors that are so big that they disintegrate in a bright "terminal flash" - and persistent trains (smoke trails.)
Remember that you won't see much before local midnight, as the earth has to rotate so that your location is on the side of the planet moving forward in the direction of Earth's orbit.
If you are lucky enough to witness a major outburst, and you're an inexperienced amateur, don't worry about trying to calculate rates!
In general, face in whichever direction gives you the best field of view, EXCEPT directly at Leo (the contstellation that gives the Leonids the name.) This is the RADIANT, ie the location that they will appear to radiate AWAY from.
Don't use binoculars or a telescope - they restrict your field a view, whereas the naked eye can cover ~40% of the sky simultaneously. (You often see them best in your peripheral vision anyway.)
Don't give up if it's a bit cloudy. Terminal flashes lighting up clouds from behind are truly spectacular, a Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind type sight!
If you enjoy the experience, get into amateur astronomy - it's a fantastic hobby!

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