MORE STARFALL CALENDAR HOW TO
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There have been occasional outbursts when rates have exceeded 25 per hour.

Observers will normally see 5-10 Ursids per hour during the late morning hours on the date of maximum activity. The Ursids are often neglected due to the fact it peaks just before Christmas and the rates are much less than the Geminds, which peaks just a week before the Ursids. On this night, the moon will be 97% full. The Geminids will next peak on the Dec 13-14, 2024 night. Velocity: 21 miles/sec (medium - 34km/sec). If your skies are clear and transparent, you can still see many bright meteors by facing a direction with the moon at your back.

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In 2024, a full moon will greatly reduce the number of meteors seen. These meteors are also seen in the southern hemisphere, but only during the middle of the night and at a reduced rate. Due to their medium-slow velocity, persistent trains are not usually seen. The Geminids are often bright and intensely colored. This is the one major shower that provides good activity prior to midnight as the constellation of Gemini is well placed from 22:00 onward. The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year and meteor enthusiasts are certain to circle December 13 and 14 on their calendars. On this night, the moon will be 94% full.

The Leonids will next peak on the Nov 17-18, 2024 night. Velocity: 43.5 miles/sec (swift - 70km/sec). In 2024, the waning gibbous moon will rise during the late evening hours and will spoil the best viewing hours for this shower. Each passing year also presents new possibilities from old debris fields. Therefore, when the comet returns in 20, there may not be any meteor storms, but perhaps several good displays of Leonid activity when rates are in excess of 100 per hour. Unfortunately, it appears that the earth will not encounter any dense clouds of debris until 2099. Yet it is not the fresh material we see from the comet, but rather debris from earlier returns that also happen to be most dense at the same time. These outbursts of meteor activity are best seen when the parent object, comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, is near perihelion (closest approach to the sun). The Leonids are best known for producing meteor storms in the years of 1833, 1866, 1966, 1999, and 2001. On this night, the moon will be 44% full. The Perseids will next peak on the Aug 11-12, 2024 night. Velocity: 37 miles/sec (swift - 59km/sec). This is a favorable coincidence as this is the time that strong activity begins to occur from this shower. In 2024, the half illuminated moon will set near 1am local daylight saving time. They are called Perseids since the radiant (the area of the sky where the meteors seem to originate) is located near the prominent constellation of Perseus the hero when at maximum activity. The Perseids are particles released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during its numerous returns to the inner solar system. Normal rates seen from rural locations range from 50-75 shower members per hour at maximum.

They reach a strong maximum on August 12 or 13, depending on the year. The Perseids are active from July 14 to September 1. The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the northern hemisphere.

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Which will provide in depth information on each shower and how to best view it. Is best seen remains much the same year after year, the moonlight conditions change considerably from one year to the next.Īs we approach the date of each shower's maximum, be sure to consult the latest AMS article about Meteor Showers, (first quarter to last quarter) will be affected by moonlight and difficult to observe. Showers that peak with the moon’s phase greater than one half illuminated Some are not even visible until after midnight. All these showers are best seen after midnight. Particular attention should be noted to the time and moonlight conditions. The meteor showers listed below are the easiest to observe and provide the most activity. Over 900 suspected meteor showers of which about 100 are well established. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories. A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteorsĪre observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky called Radiant.

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