Look to the north-east (in the constellation of Gemini) from about 2200 AEST. Should be spectacular.
Moon rises shortly after midnight, so that will lessen the effect.
If you miss it tonight, should be on show again tomorrow night. Moonrise will be later by about 40 minutes.
Edit: Daylight savings time. Not standard time. Sorry.
Do you think there will be any big enough to reach the ground?
I might stay inside just incase
Time to don the tin foil hats.
Thanks for heads up. Its a bit late for me though.
grrr, clouds, stupid subtropics, grrr.
I find it sad that, without considerable travel into remote locations, the skyscapes I saw as a child are nolonger available to my children. I remember measuring the increase in light pollution from turning the 'Bolte Bridge Lights' on, I suspect these days that the increase we measured would barely register.
. . . clouds . . .
That would have been frustrating; we were fortunate to have a clear night sky. The shower started in earnest about 1120 (AEDST), with meteorites flashing by about every 30 seconds.
Apparently, tonight should be even better, so good luck for no clouds in your region.
If you are not sure where you should look, find "the saucepan" (actually part of the Orion constellation), and watch generally below that.
10 PM for us sandgropers.
Where we looking Buster, towards Pt Hedland area, or Alice Springs direction?
If you're in Wyndham those directions would be complete opposite to being in Esperance.
Try northish somewhere between east and west!
Find the big dipper(wiki)
If you're in Wyndham those directions would be complete opposite to being in Esperance.
Try northish somewhere between east and west
So, if a SW breeze, and you are out a Silver Lake, which tack you on, Port or Starboard to get the best view
Thanks seabreeze contributors. I am looking forward to watching the meteors. It's a fair clear night in perth. Is the Big Dipper the same as the saucepan/shopping trolley.. Haha. Wife and I are going to watch.
Edit:I just read another poster above quote it is saucepan, so we will look there.
Thanks seabreeze contributors. I am looking forward to watching the meteors. It's a fair clear night in perth. Is the Big Dipper the same as the saucepan/shopping trolley.. Haha. Wife and I are going to watch.
Edit:I just read another poster above quote it is saucepan, so we will look there.
I don't think that we have the big dipper in S hemisphere, but don't quote me.
Orion is the easy one to find. See the orange star. That's Betelgeuse. You should look a bit lower and a bit east from there.
Just went outside here and there is light cloud about, so I'll go to bed and trust that it happened.
Nerdy fact time. Mr Milk is right, the big dipper is seen from the northern hempishere. We don't see the dipper, they don't see the cross.
Stars don't shoot. Meteors do, they're ex-comet/asteroid bits burning up in our atmosphere.
Meteorites are the bits that make it to earth.
This shower is still good for another couple of days, but last night was the peak.
Look north east about 11 or later. Be patient.
Nothing you see will compare to this bad boy...
...
This shower is still good for another couple of days, but last night was the peak.
...
I got up at 2:00 and 3:00 on Saturday night and saw one meteor each time. Definitely a thicker trail than usual but not many too look at.
We checked again on Sunday night and saw no meteors at all.
I saw the Perseids some years ago an that was like a continuous shower of multiple meteors. I'd like to see some more like that one.
I gave up on celestial events after Halley's Comet. Fizzzzzz.
Meteor showers look nothing like you imagine. 1/minute is a peak. Most are ...yeah, not much.
And of course the weather is always a factor.
So here are my constructive tips for awesome stuff in the sky.
#1 The International Space Station.
Requirements: Average weather. An internet connection.
Sign up for an email alert when you'll be able to see it here: spotthestation.nasa.gov/
You can track it as it comes across the world here: iss.astroviewer.net/
And then look at yourself back down on earth here: www.ustream.tv/recorded/56453974
It's pretty cool to see it in the sky - you can't miss it, it's *bright* - and also see what it sees. Tracking as it comes across from Africa is cool too. Takes about 40 minutes.
#2 The Milky Way Galaxy
Requirements: Cold, moonless night. Probably winter. Have to be a long, long way away from city lights.
If you've done a long country drive in winter at night you've seen this. The best I've ever seen it was in the South Island in NZ. We stopped and looked up for perhaps an hour. When I first stepped out of the car I got a mild sense of vertigo it was so obviously a giant, spiral galaxy we are on the edge of.
#3 The Moon
Requirements: Good view of the horizon. The ocean.
Watching a moonrise over the ocean can be utterly beautiful. Better than any pissy meteor shower anyways. Of course the best time is a full moon, and you need the ocean in the east (sorry WA). If you have crisp skies and a calm ocean it reflects and ....wow.
#4 The moon again
Requirements: Binoculars.
Lie on your back and look at it through a large set of binoculars. Best when it is half full or less. Otherwise it's just too bright.
#5 Satellites
Requirements: Dusk (or dawn) and good skies.
Go here and enter your location at top right: www.heavens-above.com/AllSats.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT
You want the "Daily predictions for brighter satellites" link if you get lost.
You'll see a few every evening. Guaranteed.
Drove out to Wanda at 11pm on Sunday night. Stared at the sky for about 20 minutes and saw 3 good white streaks. The Kurnell refinery and Port botany lights probably washed out 90% of what was on offer.
Set up the recliner next to the pool - check.
Orient it north-east for best view - check.
Perfect clear conditions - check.
Have a few coldies and a few hotties waiting for midnight - check.
See one small brief meteor trail - check.
Fall asleep till 3:30 am, wake up cold and damp - check.
Set up the recliner next to the pool - check.
Orient it north-east for best view - check.
Perfect clear conditions - check.
Have a few coldies and a few hotties waiting for midnight - check.
See one small brief meteor trail - check.
Fall asleep till 3:30 am, wake up cold and damp - check.
Should have been IN the pool.
I sat up all night .nothing .distracted for one minute when daughters called up complaining that nothing was happening,wife popped out at that time and saw one .i missed it .doesnt come close to my shared UFO experience Xmas eve a few years back