Geminid Meteor Shower Tonight. Set your alarm for 0200!

JEK

JEK

Senior Insider
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-geminid-meteor-shower/


[h=3]How many meteors, when to look[/h][FONT=&quot]The zenithal hourly rate for this shower is 120. But you probably won’t see that many. On a dark night, near the peak of the shower around 2 a.m. (for all clocks), you can often catch 50 or more meteors per hour. On an optimum night for the Geminids, it’s possible to see 150 meteors per hour. A new moon on December 4 means that the peak of the shower coincides with a moon just a few days past first quarter phase. On the evening of December 13, the moon will be more than 77% lit and already above the horizon as darkness falls. The moon will drift across the sky to the west over the course of the night, among the stars of Pisces, setting around 3 to 4 a.m. local time (the time on your clock wherever you are). [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This leaves a couple of hours of darkness before sunrise of good meteor viewing.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]By the way, this shower favors Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, but it’s visible from the Southern Hemisphere, too. The curious rock comet called 3200 Phaethon is the Geminids’ parent body.[/FONT]
 
My alarm is set. Thank you. The darkest starry skies ever, for me, were in Colombier, on my dear old boat, before the Megas arrived with their under water and sky high lights. (JEK - please forgive the run-on sentence.) Their privilege, but we had been so blessed to enjoy the magical darkness. One Christmas Eve, we were the only boat in Colombier. My daughters knew that the shooting star they saw from the cockpit was Santa.
 
Rosemary said:
My alarm is set. Thank you. The darkest starry skies ever, for me, were in Colombier, on my dear old boat, before the Megas arrived with their under water and sky high lights. (JEK - please forgive the run-on sentence.) Their privilege, but we had been so blessed to enjoy the magical darkness. One Christmas Eve, we were the only boat in Colombier. My daughters knew that the shooting star they saw from the cockpit was Santa.
Click to expand...

If one drives to the Grand Fond overlook, the night sky is still pristine. I hope to have some photographic evidence of tonight's shower in the AM.
 
I am hoping for clouds in Lurin to roll by.

Sahara Sand today.

Hopefully I can get lucky on one of my middle of the night “potty trips”….keeping my camera ready and a big towel to use on the lounge before settling down and looking up!

BE PREPARED a scouting motto that still works.
 
No photos, but I observed the action from here in Lurin.

At 1:28 am View totally enclosed in clouds..could not see one star or the neighboring islands. DARN, she said.

At 3:45 B I N G O. Meteor to the right heading toward neighboring Saba shot right above the house..one looked like a tennis ball and glowed what was like seconds. Two crossed in front of Orion’s well known constellation heading toward Statia. Several were in front of me and I watched the show for a half hour. I knew if I stayed there would be more…just amazing.

A night to remember.
 
I too saw many, but my sky was a little cloudy. My NightCap app took dozens and dozens of short open shutter shots, but alas didn’t capture any moving meteors.

I’ve reviewed a couple of times, but nada. I’m going to try again tonight.

FBBC3689-E140-490E-8A5C-86C2F6D954E7.jpg
 
amyb said:
Idid not realize there is another chance tonight. And boy, they did move Fast
Click to expand...


[h=3]021 Geminid meteor shower and the moon[/h][FONT=&quot]The Geminid meteor shower – always a favorite among the annual meteor showers – is expected to peak in 2021 on the night of Monday, December 13, into Tuesday, December 14. If you miss the Monday night and Tuesday morning, you could also try Wednesday morning, shortly before dawn breaks. The Geminids are a reliable shower for those who watch around 2 a.m. local time from a dark-sky location. We also often hear from those who see Geminid meteors in the late evening hours. But this year, a waxing gibbous moon will be above the horizon during peak time for viewing. And it’ll set shortly afterwards, leaving the sky dark for watching meteors. Thus the best time to watch for Geminid meteors in 2021 is likely before dawn – say, from around 3 a.m. to dawn – on Tuesday morning (or Wednesday morning, if you must).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On either morning (but especially Wednesday morning, the morning after the peak), there’s a narrow window between moonset and dawn. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You can also try watching earlier in the night, in moonlight. Geminid meteors tend to be bold, white and quick. The brightest ones will overcome the light of the moon. Astronomer Guy Ottewell agrees these meteors tend to be bright. He offered this insight on his blogthis morning:[/FONT]
 
I'm going to try before my normal bedtime and see what I get.

From an old NightCap photo, this (circled in red) is what I'm looking for. The solid line is the ISS.

37F4C6A7-7565-4810-BC2E-9905FE0EE457.jpg

Have Phil install this app on your iPhone. Switch to front camera, click on Meteor Mode and lay it on a table and let it go for an hour! Tutorials on how to use all the modes are found on the app. Works on iPad as well iPad iOS 14+

Screen Shot 2021-12-14 at 9.57.59 AM.jpg




Tutorial on Meteor mode

https://nightcapcamera.com/meteor-showers/
 
Gary was out with our dog, Lola, about 5:45 am this morning. He saw caught a glimpse of one meteor at that time. Last nights sky was clear and the stars were so very bright. Hoping for the same tonight. Cool pic, John!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Stay At Any One Of These Villas...
Get A FREE Rental Car For The Duration Of Your Stay.


Villa Les Embruns
Flamands, St Barts
2 Bdrm/2Bath, Pool
View Villa
Value Villas on St Barts
Villa Diamond
St Jean, St. Barts
2 Bdrm, 2 Bath Pool
View Villa
Villas With Free Car
Villa C'est Ma Vue
St Jean, St Barts
3 Bdrm/ 3 Ba/ Pool
View Villa
Top