Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

During this period the moon reaches its first quarter phase on Monday July 15th. At this time the moon is located ninety degrees east of the sun and will be in the sky until midnight local daylight time (LDT) as seen from mid-northern latitudes. As the week progresses the waxing gibbous moon will set later during the morning hours, interfering with morning observations.  The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near three no matter your location. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near fourteen as seen from mid-northern latitudes and thirteen as seen from mid-southern latitudes. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. Evening rates are reduced during this period due to moonlight.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning July 13/14. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following shower are expected to be active this week:

Activity from the Alpha Capricornids (CAP) begins next week from a wide radiant located at 19:48 (297) -14. This position lies in northeastern Sagittarius, seven degrees west of the third magnitude star known as Dabih (Beta Capricornii). The radiant is best placed near 0100 local daylight time (LDT), when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Current rates should be less than one per hour no matter your location. Don’t confuse these meteors with the antihelion meteors, which have a radiant just to the east. Both radiants need to be in your field of view to properly sort these meteors. With an entry velocity of 25 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be slow, a bit slower than the anthelions. This radiant is well seen except for far northern latitudes where it remains twilight all night long and the radiant does not rise as high into their sky.

The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 20:16 (304) -18. This position lies in western Capricornus, five degrees south of Dabih (Beta Capricornii). Due to the large, oval-shaped radiant, activity from this source may also be seen coming from eastern Sagittarius, southern Aquila, Microscopium, western Aquarius, Pisces Austrinus, as well as Capricornus. These meteors may be seen all night long but the radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be less than one per hour as seen from the Northern hemisphere and one per hour from south of the equator . With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

The Sigma Capricornids (SCA) were discovered by Zdenek Sekanina and are active for a month lasting from June 19 through July 24. Maximum activity occurred on June 27th. The radiant is currently located at 21:12 (318) -05. This area of the sky is actually located in western Aquarius, five degrees west of the third magnitude star known as Sadalsuud (Beta Aquarii). The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near one per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 42 km/sec., the average Sigma Capricornid meteor would be of medium velocity. This velocity is significantly faster than the stronger Alpha Capricornids, which appear from the same general area of the sky during the second half of July.

The Piscids Austrinids (PAU) are a minor shower not well seen from the northern hemisphere. This radiant is active from July 15 through August 10. Maximum activity occurs on July 28 when the zenith hourly rate (ZHR) may reach five. These rates are only seen from the southern hemisphere where the radiant passes overhead. From mid-northern latitudes, rates of one per hour at maximum are usually seen. The radiant is currently located at 22:04 (331) -36. This position lies in southwestern Piscis Austrinus, two degrees northeast of the third magnitude star Al Dhanab (Gamma Gruis). The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT, when it lies highest in the sky. With an entry velocity of 35km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be of average velocities.

The July Pegasids (JPE) were discovered by Peter Jenniskens during his study of annual streams during the late 80′s and early 90′s. This source is active with low rates during most of July with maximum activity occurring on the 10th. The radiant is currently located at 23:20 (350) +12. This area of the sky lies in southern Pegasus, four degrees southeast of the second magnitude star Markab (Alpha Pegasi). This radiant is best placed during the last dark hour before dawn, when it lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. Rates at this time should be near one per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 68 km/sec., the average July Pegasid meteor would be of swift speed.

Activity from the Perseids (PER) may be seen starting this weekend and lasting throughout the remainder of July and nearly all of August. The radiant is currently located at 00:20 (005) +50. This position lies in southern Cassiopeia, seven degrees southwest of the second magnitude star Shedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae). The radiant is best placed during the last hour before the start of morning twilight when it lies highest in a dark sky. Since the maximum is not until August 12th, current rates would be less than one per hour, no matter your location. Activity from this source is not visible south of 40 degrees south latitude. With an entry
velocity of 61 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be swift.

The Phi Piscids (PPS) were mistakenly listed as the Pi Piscids (PPI) in the last couple of outlooks. The Phi Piscids were discovered by Dr. Peter Brown and his Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) team. Activity is found from this source throughout June and July. Maximum activity occurred on July 1st. The radiant is currently located at 01:24 (021) +30. This area of the sky is located in on the Pisces/Triangulum border, very close to the position occupied by the famous “pinwheel Galaxy” also known as M33. The third magnitude star Ras al Muthallah (Alpha Trianguli) lies four degrees to the southeast.  The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere and one per hour as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 69 km/sec., the average Phi Piscid meteor would be of swift velocity.

The c-Andromedids (CAN) was discovered by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel using video data from the IMO network. Activity from this source is seen from June 26 though July 20 with maximum activity occurring on July 10. The radiant currently lies at 02:12 (033) +51, which places it in extreme southwestern Perseus, ten degrees north of the famous second magnitude double star Almach (Gamma Andromedae). This area of the sky is best seen during the last dark hour before dawn when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Observers in the northern hemisphere are better situated to view this activity as the radiant rises much higher in the sky before dawn as seen from northern latitudes. Current rates would be one shower member as seen from the northern hemisphere before dawn and less than one per hour for observers situated south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 60 km/sec., the average meteor from this source would be of swift velocity.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately nine sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near two per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would also be near nine per hour as seen from rural observing sites and two per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures. Evening rates are reduced due to moonlight.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

During this period the moon reaches its new phase on Monday July 8th. At this time the moon is located near the sun and is not visible at night. As the week progresses the waxing crescent moon will enter the evening sky but will set long before the more active morning hours arrive. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near three as seen from the northern hemisphere and four as seen from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near sixteen no matter your location. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning July 6/7. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following shower are expected to be active this week:

The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 19:24 (298) -20. This position lies in a remote area of eastern Sagittarius. The nearest bright star is third magnitude Dabih (Beta Capricornii), which lies ten degrees to the northeast. Due to the large, oval-shaped radiant, activity from this source may also be seen coming from western Capricornus, southern Aquila, Microscopium, and Scutum. These meteors may be seen all night long but the radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near one per hour as seen from the Northern hemisphere and two per hour from south of the equator . With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

The Sigma Capricornids (SCA) were discovered by Zdenek Sekanina and are active for a month lasting from June 19 through July 24. Maximum activity occurred on June 27th. The radiant is currently located at 21:00 (315) -05. This area of the sky is actually located in western Aquarius, eight degrees west of the third magnitude star known as Sadalsuud (Beta Aquarii). The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 42 km/sec., the average Sigma Capricornid meteor would be of medium velocity. This velocity is significantly faster than the stronger Alpha Capricornids, which appear from the same general area of the sky during the second half of July.

The July Pegasids (JPE) were discovered by Peter Jenniskens during his study of annual streams during the late 80′s and early 90′s. This source is active with low rates during most of July with maximum activity occurring on the 10th. The radiant is currently located at 23:08 (345) +11. This area of the sky lies in southern Pegasus, six degrees south of the second magnitude star Markab (Alpha Pegasi). This radiant is best placed during the last dark hour before dawn, when it lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. Rates at this time should be near one per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 68 km/sec., the average July Pegasid meteor would be of swift speed.

The Pi Piscids (PPI) is a new source of activity discovered by Dr. Peter Brown and his Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) team. Activity is found from this source throughout June and July. Maximum activity occurred on July 1st. The radiant is currently located at 01:14 (018) +26. This area of the sky is located in northern Pisces, three degrees northeast of the fourth magnitude star Eta Andromedae. The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere and one per hour as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 69 km/sec., the average Pi Piscid meteor would be of swift velocity.

The c-Andromedids (CAN) was discovered by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel using video data from the IMO network. Activity from this source is seen from June 26 though July 20 with maximum activity occurring on July 10. The radiant currently lies at 01:50 (027) +46, which places it in northeastern Andromeda, five degrees northwest of the famous second magnitude double star Almach (Gamma Andromedae). This area of the sky is best seen during the last dark hour before dawn when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Observers in the northern hemisphere are better situated to view this activity as the radiant rises much higher in the sky before dawn as seen from northern latitudes. Current rates would be 1-2 shower members as seen from the northern hemisphere before dawn and less than one per hour for observers situated south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 60 km/sec., the average meteor from this source would be of swift velocity.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately eight sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near two per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near ten per hour as seen from rural observing sites and three per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

Meteor season finally gets going in July for the northern hemisphere. The first half of the month will be much like June. After the 15th though, both sporadic and shower rates increase significantly. For observers in the southern hemisphere, sporadic rates will be falling but the overall activity will increase with the arrival of the Delta Aquariids during the last third of the month.

During this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Sunday June 30th. At this time the half-illuminated moon is located ninety degrees west of the sun and rises near 0100 local daylight time (LDT) for observers located in mid-northern latitudes. As the week progresses the waning crescent moon will rise later and later, improving the viewing conditions for morning observers. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near two as seen from the northern hemisphere and three as seen from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near eleven as seen from the northern hemisphere and twelve as seen from the southern hemisphere. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. Morning rates are reduced during this period due to moonlight.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning June 29/30. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following shower are expected to be active this week:

The June Bootids (JBO) peaked on June 27 from a radiant located at 14:56 (224) +48. This position lies in northwestern Bootes, five degrees west of the second magnitude star known as Alkaid (Eta Ursae Majoris). Stragglers from this source may be seen now through July 2. This radiant is best placed in the evening sky just as the sky becomes dark. Observers in the northern hemisphere have a distinct advantage over those located south of the equator as the radiant lies much higher in the evening sky. No matter your location, little activity is expected from this source. With an entry velocity of 18 km/sec., the average June Bootid meteor would be of very slow velocity.

IMO shower #95 is a weak source of activity, discovered among the video data of the IMO, seen from June 27 though July 7. Maximum activity occurs on June 29 when the radiant lies at 16:50 (253) +56. This position lies in southern Draco, ten degrees northwest of the third magnitude star known as Rastaban (Beta Draconis). Activity from this source would be best seen as soon as it becomes dark. As with the June Bootids, observers in the northern hemisphere have a distinct advantage over those located south of the equator as the radiant lies much higher in the evening sky. No matter your location, little activity is expected from this source. With an entry velocity of 23 km/sec., the average meteor from this source would be of low velocity.

The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 19:24 (291) -21. This position lies in eastern Sagittarius, two degrees southeast of the third magnitude star known as Albaldah (Pi Sagittarii). Due to the large, oval-shaped radiant, activity from this source may also be seen coming from western Capricornus, southern Aquila, and Scutum. These meteors may be seen all night long but the radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the Northern hemisphere and three per hour from south of the equator . With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

The Sigma Capricornids (SCA) were discovered by Zdenek Sekanina and are active for a month lasting from June 19 through July 24. Maximum occurs on June 27th when the radiant is located at 20:24 (306) -07. This area of the sky is actually located in southeastern Aquila, five degrees north of the naked eye double star Algiedi (Alpha Capricornii). The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near one per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 42 km/sec., the average Sigma Capricornid meteor would be of medium velocity. This velocity is significantly faster than the stronger Alpha Capricornids, which appear from the same general area of the sky during the second half of July.

IMO shower #94 is a weak display of short duration, only active from June 29th through July 4th. Maximum activity occurs on July 3rd when the radiant lies at 23:42 (356) +29. This position lies in northeast Pegasus, five degrees west of the second magnitude star known as Alpheratz (Alpha Andromedae). This area of the sky is best placed during the last hour before dawn when the radiant lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. Owing to the northerly declination (celestial latitude) these meteors are seen slightly better in the northern hemisphere. No matter your location, little activity is expected from this source. With an entry velocity of 69 km/sec., the average meteor from this source would be of swift velocity.

The Pi Piscids (PPI) is a new source of activity discovered by Dr. Peter Brown and his Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) team. Activity is found from this source throughout June and July. Maximum activity occurs on July 1st when the radiant is located at 00:55 (014) +25. This area of the sky is located on the Pisces/Andromeda border, very close to the position of the fourth magnitude star Eta Andromedae. The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere and one per hour as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 69 km/sec., the average Pi Piscid meteor would be of swift velocity.

The c-Andromedids (CAN) was discovered by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel using video data from the IMO network. Activity from this source is seen from June 26 though July 20 with maximum activity occurring on July 10. The radiant currently lies at 01:12 (018) +44, which places it in northern Andromeda, just five degrees northeast of the naked eye Andromeda Galaxy. This area of the sky is best seen during the last dark hour before dawn when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Observers in the northern hemisphere are better situated to view this activity as the radiant rises much higher in the sky before dawn as seen from northern latitudes. Current rates would be 1-2 shower members as seen from the northern hemisphere before dawn and less than one per hour for observers situated south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 60 km/sec., the average meteor from this source would be of swift velocity.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately four sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near one per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near seven per hour as seen from rural observing sites and two per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures. Morning rates are reduced due to interfering moonlight.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

During this period the moon reaches its full phase on Sunday June 23th. At this time the moon is located opposite the sun and remains above the horizon for most of the night. As the week progresses the waning gibbous moon will rise later and later but will still be high in the sky during the more active morning hours, reducing the number of meteors to be seen. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near two as seen from the northern hemisphere and three as seen from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near four as seen from the northern hemisphere and six as seen from the southern hemisphere. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. Rates are reduced during this period due too intense moonlight.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning June 22/23. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning. The detailed descriptions of each shower will continue next week when the moon is not such a factor.

Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

During this period the moon reaches its first quarter phase on Sunday June 16th. At this time the half-illuminated moon is located ninety degrees east of the sun and is in the sky from dusk through 0100 local daylight time (LDT). As the week progresses the waxing gibbous moon will set later and later, encroaching on the more active morning hours and reducing the number of meteors to be seen. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near two as seen from the northern hemisphere and three as seen from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near nine as seen from the northern hemisphere and thirteen as seen from the southern hemisphere. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. Evening rates are reduced during this period due too moonlight.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning June 15/16. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following shower are expected to be active this week:

The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 18:28 (277) -23. This position lies in western Sagittarius, two degrees northeast of the third magnitude star known as Kaus Borealis (Lambda Sagittarii). These meteors may be seen all night long but the radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the Northern hemisphere and three per hour from south of the equator . With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately seven sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near one per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near eleven per hour as seen from rural observing sites and two per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures. Evening rates are reduced due to interfering moonlight.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning.

The typical observation received by the AMS this morning mentioned none or perhaps one Gamma Delphinid being seen along with several sporadic (random) meteors and a couple of Anthelion meteors (if they were watching for these meteors too).

Thomas Ashcraft posted the following video of a possible Gamma Delphinid fireball to Meteorobs.

We also received several pictures of possible Gamma Delphinids:

Credit Wade Earle

Credit Charlie Davis

Credit Yuri Beletsky

Credit Derek Kuhl

Credit Derek Kuhl

We would like to thank all the observers who have submitted reports this morning: Brandon Pooley CO, Chuck Green AZ, Ian Shive CA, Jerry Chab NE, Stephanie Smith, Jeff Chai WY, Diana FL, Erik Sjoberg MN, Karen Fultz TX, Carol, John Webber MT, Gil CA, Leslie WA, Jill Ebrecht GA, Allan Crosthwaite CA, Bryan WI, Michael Boschat NS, Oscar Fernandez AZ, Erika KS, Terrence Ross TX, Peter Gural MD, Jimmy Mahuron IN, Bob Oldham (Costa Rica), David Swann TX, Salvador Aguirre (Mexico), Mona Rose Lujano CA, Dave Todt OH, Terry Johnson and son AR, Carla Johns CA, Marshall Neal CA, Jonathan Dalrymple CO, Dale Cunningham AZ, Alexandre Amorim (Brazil), Chris Sutton ID, Phil Scordelis CA, Charlie UT, John Heidenreich, Eric Holcomb OR, Pat and Michael, Mark Newberry CO, Bob Hillenbrand FL, Mike Lewinski NM, Pawel Klatka WY, Dayton Prichard OK, Rachel Miller WA, Saul Chernos ON, John LaMuth CA, Steven Swisley CA, Carlos Bella (Brazil), Edward J. NC, Wade Earle, Brain Calvi IN, Elvira Guillen NM, Charlie Davis CO, Austin Reed NC, Jeremy Smith AR, Jay Poindexter, Cecile Cornou (Denmark), Brian Woodworth IL, Jeffrey Knichel MS, Robin Triplett KS, Amy Catching TX, Amy Macias CA, Brian Taylor DE, Paul Campbell TX, John Ballantyne (United Kingdom), Simon Duck NC, Randy Wittrock, Warren Gretz AZ, Derek Kuhl TX, Luke Leal TX, George Gliba WV, Paul Lunsford MD, Ray Wilbur ME, Matt CO, Benjamin Albright, Patrick Gunning CA, Dave Reed ID, Todd Call UT, Karen NM, Jean Hartman WA

We hope that all of you will try again in August and I guarantee you will be more rewarded for your efforts while viewing the annual Perseid meteor shower.

Robert Lunsford

Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

During this period the moon reaches its new phase on Saturday June 8th. At this time the moon is located near the sun and is not visible at night. As the week progresses the waxing crescent moon will enter the evening sky but will set long before the more productive morning hours arrive. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near three as seen from the northern hemisphere and four as seen from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near eight as seen from the northern hemisphere and fourteen as seen from the southern hemisphere. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning June 8/9. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following showers are expected to be active this week:

The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 18:04 (271) -23. This position lies in western Sagittarius, five degrees northeast of the third magnitude star known as Kaus Borealis (Lambda Sagittarii). These meteors may be seen all night long but the radiant is best placed near 0200 local daylight time (LDT) when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the Northern hemisphere and three per hour from south of the equator . With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

On the morning of June 11, there is the possibility of seeing a return of the Gamma Delphinids (DEL). These meteors have not been well seen since 1930, but there is hope that there may be some activity visible on this morning. The expected time of this activity is centered near 0828 Universal Time. This corresponds to 4:28 am EDT, 3:28 am CDT, 2:28 am MDT, and 1:28 am PDT. The timing is perfect for the Americas and the eastern Pacific including Hawaii. The predicted radiant is located at 20:48 (312) +17, which lies close to the notable double star Gamma Delphini. This area of the sky rises shortly after the end of dusk and is best placed in the sky between 0400 and 0500 LDT. A strong outburst is not expected but any activity would be notable. At 57km/sec., meteors from this source are expected to be of medium-swift velocity.

Your last good chance to see any activity from the Daytime Arietids (ARI) will occur this weekend. At 02:18 (046) +26, this radiant is located only thirty degrees west of the sun so visual observing conditions for this display are poor at best. It is an achievement of note just to see one of these meteors just before dawn on early June mornings. To try and see some of this activity,  start watching one hour before the start of dawn and look toward the northeast with your center of vision positioned half-way up in the sky. Any Arietids will shoot upwards from the horizon and should last several seconds as they streak a long path through the sky. Your chances of seeing these meteors are best from the northern tropics, where the longer nights allow the radiant to rise higher into the sky. At 43km/sec. the Daytime Arietids would produce meteors of medium velocity. By the way, this is the strongest daylight shower of the year. If the circumstances were better for this shower (higher radiant in a dark sky), this display would rival the annual Perseids in intensity.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately six sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near two per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near eleven per hour as seen from rural observing sites and three per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Radiant Position of the Gamma Delphinids (DEL)

On the evening of June 11, 1930, three members of the American Meteor Society (AMS) reported that they observed a flurry of meteor activity occurring between the hours of 2215 and 2245 (1015-1045pm EST) from Maryland, USA. These meteors were seen despite the fact that a nearly full moon was present in the sky during the entire display. No other reports of this activity was reported, leading to some doubts of the authenticity of this outburst. Of course one would not expect many meteor observers to be out observing under such unfavorable lunar conditions. In subsequent years this radiant was monitored but no further activity was seen on or near this date.

Peter Jenniskens, in his study of outbursts from long-period comets, has proposed that the 1930 event was real and may be repeated on Tuesday morning June 11, 2013. The expected time of maximum activity would be near 0828 Universal Time. This time corresponds to 4:28am EDT, 3:28am CDT, 2:28am MDT, and 1:28am PDT. This timing is favorable for all the Americas, extending west to the Hawaiian Islands. The radiant was reported to lie near the notable double star gamma Delphini, which lies near celestial coordinates 312 (20:48) +17. For observers in mid-northern latitudes this radiant rises in the eastern sky shortly after the end of dusk and is best placed high in the southern sky between 0400 and 0500 local daylight time.

To view this possible outburst one should seek out the darkest skies possible. Clear horizons devoid of trees and hills would also help. I would suggest starting your viewing session at least two hours prior to the expected maximum, in case it arrives early. While this activity can be seen in any portion of the sky, it would be best to view so that the radiant is included in your field of view so that you can verify if any activity can be associated with this radiant. These meteors would be of medium-swift velocity unless they appear near the radiant or close to the horizon. In these instances any gamma Delphinid meteors would move more slowly.

No one knows the strength of this display or whether it will occur at all. It would most likely be of short duration (less than one hour and perhaps as short as 15 minutes). This is not something one can stand outside and try to witness. Serious observers should be comfortable in a lounge chair and watch for at least an hour. I would not expect strong rates such that occurred with the Leonid outbursts near 2000. Rather these meteors are more likely to appear a minute or two apart. True Gamma Delphinid meteors would be moderately swift unless they appear near the radiant or near the horizon. In these case they would appear to travel with medium velocity. Unlike the 1930 display, the moon will not be a factor in 2013 as it will have set long before the predicted time of the outburst.

If your skies are clear the AMS encourages you to try and verify any activity from this source. Even reports with no activity will help. Be sure to share your observations (either positive or negative) with us as soon as possible after viewing. Reports may be emailed to: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net or one may use the AMS online report form (available to registered members).

Clear Skies!

Robert Lunsford

American Meteor Society

Radiant Positions at 10pm LDT

Radiant Positions at 1am LDT

Radiant positions at 4am LDT

June is another slow month for meteor activity. There are no major showers
active in June and only the Anthelion source can be counted on for continuous
activity. Even the Anthelion radiant is located so far south this time of year that
rates rarely exceed two per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere. Sporadic
rates begin a slow recovery in June as seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45 N). Sporadic rates seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45 S) continue to be strong this month before a big falloff occurs during the second half of  July.

During this period the moon wanes from nearly half illuminated to almost its new phase. This weekend the bright crescent moon will be limited to the morning hours. Unfortunately this coincides with the most active time of night for viewing meteor activity. Moonlight can be overcome keeping the moon out of your field of view. As the week progresses, the situation improves with the moon getting thinner with each passing night. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near three as seen from the northern hemisphere and four as seen from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near six as seen from the northern hemisphere and fifteen as seen from the southern hemisphere. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. Morning rates are reduced during this period due to moonlight.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning June 1/2. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following showers are expected to be active this week:

The center of the large Anthelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 17:36 (264) -23. This position lies in southeastern Ophiuchus , three degrees northeast of the third magnitude star known as Theta Ophiuchi. These meteors may be seen all night long but the radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT when it lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour as seen from the Northern hemisphere and three per hour from south of the equator . With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Anthelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

Besides the Anthelion radiant, the only shower of note active at this time is the Daytime Arietids (ARI). At 02:10 (044) +24, this radiant is located only thirty degrees west of the sun so visual observing conditions for this display are poor at best. It is an achievement of note just to see one of these meteors just before dawn on early June mornings.  Your best chance to see this activity will occur on Friday morning June 7th, when this shower reaches maximum activity. On that morning start watching one hour before the start of dawn and look toward the northeast with your center of vision positioned half-way up in the sky. Any Arietids will shoot upwards from the horizon and should last several seconds as they streak a long path through the sky.  Your chances of seeing these meteors are best from the northern tropics, where the longer nights allow the radiant to rise higher into the sky. At 43km/sec. the Daytime Arietids would produce meteors of medium velocity. By the way, this is the strongest daylight shower of the year. If the circumstances were better for this shower (higher radiant in a dark sky), this display would rival the annual Perseids in intensity.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately four sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near two per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near twelve per hour as seen from rural observing sites and three per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures. Morning rates are reduced due to moonlight.

The table below presents a list of radiants that are expected to be active this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning.

The AMS has developed technology that can plot the trajectory for any fireball reported to our system. The accuracy of these trajectories is dependent on the number of witnesses who report the event and their distribution around the fireball. This event provided a large volume and good geographic distribution of witnesses. Below is the trajectory estimate we plotted for this fireball.

Trajectory For AMS Event 2013/1185

If you witnessed this fireball event please fill out an official fireball report with the American Meteor Society.

“QE 2″ is not an homage to England’s Queen Elizabeth II. Newfound asteroids are named according to an established alphanumeric scheme that lays out when it was discovered.

The asteroid will be cruising through the Hydra constellation on its way north into Libra on Friday 31th. You might actually be able to see it, if you happen to have access to a decent telescope as the asteroid will never top +10 magnitude – which is the general threshold for binocular viewing under dark skies. The asteroid will look like a tiny moving star-like point.

The official Nasa and ESA line is that our best form of defence against the potentially dangerous Near Earth Asteroids is still prayer…

Clear sky!

More info:

• NASA Video
• How to spot 1998 QE2
• NASA’S WISE Mission Finds Lost Asteroid Family Members
• Watching for hazards: ESA opens asteroid centre
• AMS Meteor Terminology

Update May 30th, 2:32 PM Eastern: The asteroid has a moon! Here’s a stunning video from NASA’s JPL of the asteroid that reveals a satellite orbiting it.

The AMS also received 18 additional reports for a fireball on the East Coast approximately 3 hours later at 12:05 AM (event #1144). While the vectors for the 2nd sighting put the object much farther south initially it was not clear if this was a separate event or if a large volume of witnesses reported the wrong time (certainly possible on a holiday weekend). We have contacted some of these witnesses in an attempt to confirm the reported time and have verified this was in fact a separate event. Below is a map of the second fireball event.

Memorial Day Fireball – May 26th, 2013 9:05 PM Eastern Time

If you saw either of these events please fill out an official fireball report.