PERSEIDS (maximum August 13, 5h UT [August 12 @ 10pm PDT; August 13 @ 1am EDT])
(radiant drift map from IMO)
Moon: New (no interference)
Best viewing window: Sunday evening, August 12, from the end of evening twilight until morning twilight on Monday morning, August 13.
Recommended for: Anyone interested in meteors.
The Perseids are probably the most-watched annual meteor shower. The shower has a very long duration, from about July 15 through August 25. The shower is most interesting around its peak on August 12 or 13. This year, the Moon is perfectly placed and will not interfere for several days before and after the maximum. The shower's normal peak time favors observers from eastern North America to western Europe, but everyone should get a good show on peak night.
The radiant is above the horizon the entire night for observers north of latitude 32N, but it is fairly low at the end of evening twilight. Evening Perseid rates are low, then, but there are usually enough meteors to be interesting. Serious observers will watch all night long.
Predawn rates for observers with truly dark skies may exceed 80 Perseids per hour, with a nice sprinkling of sporadic and minor shower meteors added to the mix. Adjacent mornings from August 10 through August 15 are well worth watching, although rates will be significantly lower (down to 10 Perseids/hour at the extremes).
Perseids are fast meteors and tend to be fairly bright on average. An occasional fireball is seen.
Thanks for the heads up, Darren. Many \, many years ago when I was in my late teens working at a lodge in Eastern Sierras I witnessed a Perseid meteor shower with many meteors streaking across the entire sky almost from horizon to horizon. And they appeared at a rate of roughly one per second. There are good years and bad years, but I have never seen one like that since. But it pays to watch because it can happen again when the Earth passes through the same debris cluster that orbits the sun.
I'd love to see one of the legendary meteor storms the Persieds have been known to display in the past and can only dream one will happen again in my lifetime. I've been chasing the darkest skies avaliable at peak times for 15 years and seldom see more than 1 in 5 minutes. Light pollution is the biggest factor for not seeing the faint ones and the moon anywhere in the sky is a meteor-killer so this will definately be a good year to take in the show! I've seen one excellent photo of the event in recent years and it was a long exposure centered on the source of the meteors.... not sure if it was shot with gas-hypered film but the effect was like the iconic Star Wars light speed jump...but more believable! I'll be taking my lawn chair and the usual brew-cooler.... maybe the digi-cam in case a rogue bolide comes cruising through?
This is certainly not my forte, so could use some advice. I am under the impression that night photography still is best with film. Has anyone any experience or recent links to night photography with a digital camera? I do have some pretty good light gatherng lenses, but would like to gain some insight on celestial imaging.
Discussion
7 replies-----------------------------------------------------------------
PERSEIDS (maximum August 13, 5h UT [August 12 @ 10pm PDT; August 13 @ 1am EDT])
(radiant drift map from IMO)
Moon: New (no interference)
Best viewing window: Sunday evening, August 12, from the end of evening twilight until morning twilight on Monday morning, August 13.
Recommended for: Anyone interested in meteors.
The Perseids are probably the most-watched annual meteor shower. The shower has a very long duration, from about July 15 through August 25. The shower is most interesting around its peak on August 12 or 13. This year, the Moon is perfectly placed and will not interfere for several days before and after the maximum. The shower's normal peak time favors observers from eastern North America to western Europe, but everyone should get a good show on peak night.
The radiant is above the horizon the entire night for observers north of latitude 32N, but it is fairly low at the end of evening twilight. Evening Perseid rates are low, then, but there are usually enough meteors to be interesting. Serious observers will watch all night long.
Predawn rates for observers with truly dark skies may exceed 80 Perseids per hour, with a nice sprinkling of sporadic and minor shower meteors added to the mix. Adjacent mornings from August 10 through August 15 are well worth watching, although rates will be significantly lower (down to 10 Perseids/hour at the extremes).
Perseids are fast meteors and tend to be fairly bright on average. An occasional fireball is seen.
This is certainly not my forte, so could use some advice. I am under the impression that night photography still is best with film. Has anyone any experience or recent links to night photography with a digital camera? I do have some pretty good light gatherng lenses, but would like to gain some insight on celestial imaging.
Darren, remind me to have Erik feature this thread a week or two before the event...
I got some good shots in the last several years with my D1X - kept the shutter open for as long as the battery lasted - about 3 hrs.
I go out to a field halfway to Bend where there is almost NO ambient light.
Anyone Game???
Sandy R
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/560440
Kevin