Geminids

DubOnHoliday

With just some days to go, its a good time to be reminded of one of the best celestial shows of the year, the Geminids. And I had a timely reminder this morning about 6:45 waiting for the train along the beach in Wicklow, when not one but two meteors flashed by Venus. Beautiful site. The morning sky is amazing these days, Jupiter, the moon, Mercury, Venus and Saturn all visible. Its also good being able to explain to other people on the train platform, when they say to each other, whats that 'star' over there!!!
Anyway...
Here's a decent article, 10 tips for watching the Geminids...
http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/ten-tips-for-watching-the-geminid-meteor-shower

keith16

Good article, hopefully we get a clear evening.

Hoof_Hearted

The forecast looks great for clear skies, cold though but I'll be watching with my mate Jack Daniels!

Iancar29

Tonight looks to be the clearest night for the next few. COLD but clear. Worth venturing out with the camera?

keith16

Iancar29 wrote: »

Tonight looks to be the clearest night for the next few. COLD but clear. Worth venturing out with the camera?

Where are you getting the cloud cover forecast Iancar? Might head out this evening too but no idea where to escape the light pollution....Dublin mountains?

Iancar29

keith16 wrote: »

Where are you getting the cloud cover forecast Iancar? Might head out this evening too but no idea where to escape the light pollution....Dublin mountains?

I use the paid for service on Net Weather .tv as my main interest is Meteorology but ye here's the met's one http://www.met.ie/forecasts/5day-atlantic.asp .

Sadly i dont drive so it will either be just out my back or i might be lucky to get the bro to drive up towards St.Margarets for awhile.

TheZestyLemon

Yeah lads, not looking good weather wise. There's a rain due coming in from the east, it'll be there for a while.

Can someone tell me though, is it the night of the 13th til the morning of the 14th or the 14th to the 15th? I've heard different things from different people.

Hoof_Hearted

According to the rather excellent Skynotes thread it's the evening of the 13th for the peak, though they should be slowly building towards then. I've been freezing my gizzard off the last few nights and haven't seen one - I'm optimistic though so looking forward to a lovely spectacle - and a break in the clouds - any night now!

Iancar29

Possible NEW shower to coincide with the Geminids . SCREW YOU CLOUD FORECAST !!!!

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/11dec_newshower/?fb_source=ticker&fb_action_ids=138471326305925&fb_action_types=og.likes

the culture of deference

Set your alarm for 11 p.m. ET on Thursday, as that's when the Geminid meteor shower peaks. It could deliver dozens (or even hundreds) of visible meteors per hour until about 3 a.m. on December 14. Keep your eyes (and scopes) toward the constellation Gemini for the best view of the shiny shower.
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What causes the Geminids? The consensus among astronomers indicates that the light show originates from the remnants of an extinct comet known as 3200 Phaethon. The unusual object 3.2 miles in diameter once contained ice and the usual components of a comet, but gradually shed many of those features due to its extremely close orbit with the sun (it gets even closer than Mercury). However, some astronomers remain on the fence about the specific details of the Geminid shower's origin.

Manuel

Lovely clear night now in the Midlands ...

I looked up in the Southern sky at 00.37 and by 00.45 I had seen 10 meteors.

That's a pretty decent shower.

Bloody cold though ....

Hopefully tomorrow will be clear again after midnight.

'Nite.

JAMES VTI S

i am interested in this =] look amazing

so i just go outside, l@@k up at the sky around 11pm

Iancar29

Tonight unfortunately doesnt look good at all for star gazing, a large front moving in off the atlantic will bring cloud to pretty much all areas by 10pm or so , those in the NE MIGHT get an hour or so in before the horribleness rolls in.

PS This will also bring alot of rain and wind come sunrise!

BUT ... 2moro , as the front clears off to the NE the sky should clear for most of the night !





WHOS EXCITED?!

JAMES VTI S

i WAS untel i heard this bad news, i wanted to see it tonight with my girlfriend and she is working tomorrow night

Thecon21

No hope tonight in the Dublin area so?

JAMES VTI S

Thecon21 wrote: »

No hope tonight in the Dublin area so?

and limerick county

JAMES VTI S

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4DfIzwmk2s

L@@KS amazing

Iancar29

Nope , sorry lads, no hope tonight at all.


http://www.sat24.com/

TheZestyLemon

Feck sake

Hoof_Hearted

Looks like a good chance of clear skies later tonight - fingers crossed! (eyes crossed too if I start on the JD early enough!)

Manuel

If you see my post above from Wed night/Thurs morning, one day before the peak, there was quite a high rate of meteors, so if it's clear tonight it still should be pretty good.

Bring out the deckchair, sleeping bag, quilt, coats, hat, gloves, hip flask, some time after midnight and enjoy ...

Calibos

Did any of you actually believe that a fortnight of clear frosty nights wouldn't end on the night of the geminid peak?? You lot haven't been doing astronomy in this country very long have you.

ZeRoY

Calibos wrote: »

Did any of you actually believe that a fortnight of clear frosty nights wouldn't end on the night of the geminid peak?? You lot haven't been doing astronomy in this country very long have you.

Yep. Clouds, clouds and more clouds! :mad:

Hoof_Hearted

Ah yes to the nay sayers but I'm lucky as anything lately so you may all get a rub of it later on - trust me! I foresee a great spectacle (in Newcastle anyway, the axis of luck)
btw, as we're on winter time does that make it 23h instead of midnight for that 'after midnight' effect?

JAMES VTI S

LOL at the weather lastnight

the culture of deference

Awful weather. Cloudy wet and then foggy.

I have missed the last 3 meteor showers.

OldGoat

Starting to see some breaks in the cloud cover. Tiny breaks but breaks none the less.

Iancar29

Once again , use sat views for hope folks!

http://www.sat24.com/en/gb

Its looking good , probably not 100% clear but it looks like ill be happy from what i see .

JAMES VTI S

will there still be two every minute

Daffodil.d

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

will there still be two every minute

Its clear now in the south east. so which direction am i to look. i saw one earlier passing under Jupiter. but am i supposed to be looking north west.

TheZestyLemon

Yes, you're too look north east towards the Gemini constellation. Considering Jupiter isn't too far off from Gemini you're looking in the right place.