Geminids 2009

[James M]

Not long to go now before we reach the peak of the Geminid Meteor shower on the 14th December. This shower is one of my favourite of the annual showers, with rates of up to 120 per hour and this year it very nearly coincides with a new moon! So providing the weather plays ball (we should be so lucky ) it should be a good show. You may be able to see the odd Geminid from about 7th, increasing until the peak on the 14th (est. 5h10m UT), so keep your eyes on the skies in the coming days!

[Tringa]

As a lad, astronomy was one of my main interests, but other things have taken over, though even now I think that a clear starry sky is mind blowing, and I can still find my way around, so thanks for the early info on this, James.

[James M]

A little more info from Wikipedia

The Geminids are a meteor shower caused by an object named 3200 Phaethon,[1] which is thought to be an extinct comet. The meteors from this shower can be seen in mid-December and usually peak around 12-14 of the month. The Geminid shower is thought to be intensifying every year and recent showers have seen 120-160 meteors per hour under optimal conditions. The Geminids were first observed only 150 years ago, much more recently than other showers such as the Perseids and Leonids.

The meteors in this shower appear to come from a radiant in the constellation Gemini (hence the shower's name). However, they can appear almost anywhere in the night sky, and often appear yellowish in hue. The meteors travel at medium speed in relation to other showers, at about 22 miles per second, making them fairly easy to spot. The Geminids are now considered by many to be the most consistent and active annual shower. In 2005, viewing of the shower was restricted due to a full moon washing out the fainter meteors. The 2006 shower had a less full moon, however the 2007 shower was a new moon, with the best viewing position being in the southern hemisphere, with Australia and New Zealand being noted spectacle locales. In 2008, the Geminids coincided with a full moon. In 2009 the peak date occurs two days before a new moon, making for ideal conditions.

and a little piece on this years shower from the International Meteor Organisation. International Meteor Organization | International Collaboration in Meteor Science

Active: December 7-17
Maximum: December 14 5h10m UT (λo = 262°2) 2.3h
ZHR = 120
Radiant: α = 112° δ = +33°
Radiant drift: see Table 6
v∞ = 35 km/s; r = 2.6
TFC: α = 087° δ = +20° and
α = 135° δ = +49° before 23h local time
α = 087° δ = +20° and α = 129° δ = +20° after 23h local time (β > 40° N)
α = 120° δ = -03° and α = 084° δ = +10° (β < 40° N)
IFC: α = 150° δ = +20° and α = 060° δ = +40° (β > 20° N)
α = 135° δ = -05° and α = 080° δ = 00° (β < 20° N)

One of the finest, and probably the most reliable, of the major annual showers presently observable, whose peak this year is virtually coincident with new Moon. The Geminid radiant culminates around 2h local time, but well north of the equator it rises about sunset, and is at a usable elevation from the local evening hours onwards, while in the southern hemisphere, the radiant appears only around local midnight or so. Even from more southerly sites, this is a splendid shower of often bright, medium-speed meteors, a rewarding sight for all watchers, whatever method they employ. The peak has shown slight signs of variability in its rates and timing in recent years, with the more reliably-observed maxima during the past two decades all having occurred within 2h20m of the time given above. The main predicted timing favours places from all across the Americas eastwards to western Europe and western Africa. An earlier or later timing would extend this best-visible zone some way eastwards or westwards respectively. Some mass-sorting within the stream means the fainter telescopic meteors should be most abundant almost 1° of solar longitude (about one day) ahead of the visual maximum, with telescopic results indicating such meteors radiate from an elongated region, perhaps with three sub-centres. Further results on this topic would be useful.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Theres a nice pice about photogrpahing meteors in a photo magazine I bought today and I think I may have to try it out with this shower

[James M]

Just a little reminder, the peak is nearly at hand! Going to have a look out tonight if we get some clear skies, fingers crossed.

[Red Squirrel]

Can someone tell me please, where in the sky I should look for the showers? Thanks.

[Kleftiwallah]

Find Orion the hunter and look up to the left. Near the gemini constellation. Cheers, hope we are lucky, Tony.

[Red Squirrel]

Erm s'cuse me, is that north,south, east or west?

[werdnal]

Just been outside with my 9 yo son, who heard about the Geminids on the radio earlier and asked to stay up and see them. We went out at 8.00pm and saw about 9 or 10 over half an hour. I was really chuffed as having stayed up really late in the past to see other showers, I'd never been lucky - either weather too cloudy or just not seen anything! However, I thought the estimate on the radio of up to 100 a minute sounded a little OTT!

My son is doing Space this term at school so keen to go in tomorrow and tell everyone. I'm just pleased to have seen some!

[nytecam]

"I thought the estimate on the radio of up to 100 a minute sounded a little OTT"

That's a typo and should read 100/hr aka 100ZHR = the theoretical maximum under optimal condition and assumes the radiate point [near Castor/Pollux in Gemini] is at the zenith under perfectly clear and dark condition like in the desert -in UK near towns etc the figure falls sharply but is still worth the effort

Partially cloudly in SW London last night near maximum and none seen in a few minutes watch but a couple seen by chance earlier in the week - the meteors were bright and white in colour. Keep watching for the next few nights as it not all over yet