Geminid Meteor Shower

ihavequestions

What dates will the shower be at it's most spectacular?

slade_x

ihavequestions wrote: »

What dates will the shower be at it's most spectacular?

Geminids peaks in mid december so anything from the 13th to the 16th shouldnt disappoint

ihavequestions

Lets hope the skies are as clear then as they are now!

Seanie M

Copied ad pasted from another thread of mine here:

Like all meteor showers, these happen when Earth encounters a trail of dust typically left behind by a comet. What makes the Geminids most interesting is that is passes through a trail of debris left behind by an asteroid by the name of Phaethon. Phaethon is 5km wide and crosses Earth's orbit as it circles the Sun every 524 days.

The Geminids are renowned for their fireballs every year. Maximum of this shower occurs on the night of December 13th/14th with a predicted peak of between 80 to 100 meteors per hour. The radiant is the constellation of Gemini, high in the south traveling west as the night progresses. A waxing Moon will interfere, however with the numbers involved you will still be in for a treat.

Enjoy,

Seanie.

dlofnep

Shower predicted for Monday night.

quinnthebin

ihavequestions wrote: »

What dates will the shower be at it's most spectacular?

I find http://www.spacedex.com to be very useful in relation to meteor showers.

Spotted a couple last night - Tomorrow night (Monday 13th) is the main night but tonight or a couple of days the other side should be worth a look if sky is not clear tomorrow night.

Best time is midnight till 4am - if the sky is clear it should definitely be worth staying up.

Ilyushin76

Anybody see any tonight ?

Dusty87

Seen one a few mins ago john

Ilyushin76

Where you looking long ?

Dusty87

no, copped it by chance out of the corner of my eye. South direction i think. Going to have a better luck now.;) No luck for you no??

Davaeo09

Hey folks in terms if watching the sky should I be looking to the left or to the right of the plough? :pac:

Also is tonight the peak or is it tomorrow?

Thanks.

High energy

Saw an amazing one over meath at around 7pm this evening. Really bright and travelled about 1/3 of the visible sky.

Lapin

How big are they?

I've been told they range from the size of a grain of salt to a golf ball.

quinnthebin

Davaeo09 wrote: »

Hey folks in terms if watching the sky should I be looking to the left or to the right of the plough? :pac:

Also is tonight the peak or is it tomorrow?

Thanks.

peak tonight 13th - check out http://www.spacedex.com for details


Saw 5 in a 15 minute period last night (about 10pm) - though if it's clear tonight it should be worth looking roughly south after midnight when the moon has dipped below the horizon.

that'll mean you're looking right of the plough but they can appear anywhere - usually picked up in your peripheral vision

quinnthebin

Lapin wrote: »

How big are they?

I've been told they range from the size of a grain of salt to a golf ball.

generally a grain of sand to small pebble size though they might be the size of your fist for a fireball.

Sajan

Where will be the best place in Dublin? Phoenix Park?

Iancar29

Sajan wrote: »

Where will be the best place in Dublin? Phoenix Park?

Im goin up to a back road at st.margrets, think the phoenix park is good , but still a light of lights about.

Sajan

Is that the back of the airport? That would be closer for me alright. I'm in Malahide.. Deer Park in Howth as well maybe.

Iancar29

Sajan wrote: »

Is that the back of the airport? That would be closer for me alright. I'm in Malahide.. Deer Park in Howth as well maybe.

Yep, we went to an entrance to one of the fields last time wer there was a great view.
People driving by every few minutes must of been wondering things tough as the guards pulled up after awhile.

They wer like , " eh , are yas ok there? ", i just said , ah ye, just watching the meteor shower " .. they wer like ... " oh those things like shooting stars ye?, seeing any?" * looks up out of the car* haha

hal9000

Anybody got photography tips, might try and take a few snaps *weather permitting

ihavequestions

I hope to God the sky clears up here in Kerry. It would be a pity to miss them.

bandit197

hal9000 wrote: »

Anybody got photography tips, might try and take a few snaps *weather permitting

I was looking for the same and found this.

Some good tips in there.

Seanie M

hal9000 wrote: »

Anybody got photography tips, might try and take a few snaps *weather permitting

You will, at best, need a (D)SLR camera or any camera with a Bulb setting.

Typically, film or digitally, use the following settings:

* ISO400 (no higher as it will lead to more noise and granulation)
* Manual or Bulb mode
-OR-
* Set to 30 seconds exposure
* Smallest F-stop (better than F5 and wider (smaller number)

Tips:
Leave your camera outdoors, lens and all, for about 15 minutes before you intend using it. This way, it will acclimatize to the cold conditions and the lens should cease fogging up. Mount the camera on as sturdy a tripod as possible. Choose a dark site away from lights and one that is not in direct line with vehicular traffic. Exposure time can be increased infinitely but with longer exposure times comes more noise. A series of short exposures will still capture that one same bright fireball the same as the 40 minute long exposure (but will have far less hot pixels and image artefacts).

Seanie.

IrishHomer

Seanie M wrote: »

You will, at best, need a (D)SLR camera or any camera with a Bulb setting.

Typically, film or digitally, use the following settings:

* ISO400 (no higher as it will lead to more noise and granulation)
* Manual or Bulb mode
-OR-
* Set to 30 seconds exposure
* Smallest F-stop (better than F5 and wider (smaller number)

Tips:
Leave your camera outdoors, lens and all, for about 15 minutes before you intend using it. This way, it will acclimatize to the cold conditions and the lens should cease fogging up. Mount the camera on as sturdy a tripod as possible. Choose a dark site away from lights and one that is not in direct line with vehicular traffic. Exposure time can be increased infinitely but with longer exposure times comes more noise. A series of short exposures will still capture that one same bright fireball the same as the 40 minute long exposure (but will have far less hot pixels and image artefacts).

Seanie.

Seanie what lens do you use for this?

gonker

Could I have seen one about 7am this morning. I was walking along and thought I saw a shooting star out of the corner of my eye then heard that there was going to be a meteor shower???

Iancar29

gonker wrote: »

Could I have seen one about 7am this morning. I was walking along and thought I saw a shooting star out of the corner of my eye then heard that there was going to be a meteor shower???

yep , its highly likely,

Not looking good for the east 2nite...

Early morning rise for a chance to see some tough.

Sajan

You gonna bother heading out tonight? Is there a chance at all we'll see anything?

Panda

I was looking forward to this but now Galway clouds have rolled in over galway now....


RATS!!!!

nevevix

:pac::pac:does any one know what time the geminid meteor shower will start? I a m in wicklow. I ususally see alot of shooting stars from here as i am next to the sea and there is no other houses beside me.

I know this is off the point but the other nite I seen a HUGGGGE star at around 4 in the morning- I woke up at almost got a fright coz it was sooo big! i used my pUniverse app for iphone and the star was Spica. but when i researched it it said it was only the 16th brighest star- but it was HUGGGGE.

Really looking forward to this

I love stars soooo much :)

Riamfada

Overcast in Dublin:(

Sajan

Think i'm still going to head out and have a look.

quinnthebin

nevevix wrote: »

:pac::pac:does any one know what time the geminid meteor shower will start? I a m in wicklow. I ususally see alot of shooting stars from here as i am next to the sea and there is no other houses beside me.

It started a few days ago but reaches it's peak tonight - so if the skies aren't clear there's always tomorrow night - or same time next year

Cú Giobach

According to the RTE 9 o'clock news we are having an asteroid shower tonight. :eek:
Mind your heads.

tony62

is it clear any place????

BengaLover

Just been watching, seen a dozen or so in last hour.. amazing.

Sajan

Where abouts are you BengaLover?

Sajan

Anyone seeing anything in Dublin?

MoonDancer

I saw a comet Or Asteriod. Don't know what you'd call it. A bright orange/red "star" close to earth that steadilly moved across the sky leaving a long smoke trail in the sky after. It was beautiful!!! Came from East, moved west
It was big & close enough you could see a dark colour with the hot orange/red!!

Edit, I'm in the wesht!

Riamfada

Its cloudy in Dublin.Anyone anywhere within driving distance anywhere clear?

Iancar29

MoonDancer wrote: »

I saw a comet Or Asteriod. Don't know what you'd call it. A bright orange/red "star" close to earth that steadilly moved across the sky leaving a long smoke trail in the sky after. It was beautiful!!! Came from East, moved west
It was big & close enough you could see a dark colour with the hot orange/red!!

Edit, I'm in the wesht!

U serious!?!

Sajan

Grimes wrote: »

Its cloudy in Dublin.Anyone anywhere within driving distance anywhere clear?

Cloudy on the North Side as well.. Gonna go have a look around though. No harm.

Iancar29

Sajan wrote: »

Cloudy on the North Side as well.. Gonna go have a look around though. No harm.

cool, keep us posted... mite get up at 5 to watch ... moon is set by then i think.

Sajan

Iancar29 wrote: »

cool, keep us posted... mite get up at 5 to watch ... moon is set by then i think.

Do you think there is any point? I'm completely new to this and have nothing on tomorrow so I'm keen to have a look.

Iancar29

Sajan wrote: »

Do you think there is any point? I'm completely new to this and have nothing on tomorrow so I'm keen to have a look.

If it gets anyway clear ye there is... Just get loads of layers on to stay warm, if no1 is wit ya , an ipod even... it can get boring waiting ,... but then the sky throws a meteor right in front of u.

this is what u potentially could see!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_2aX-784sw

MoonDancer

Iancar29 wrote: »

U serious!?!

Yeah deadly serious!!! Had time to get my friend & kids from the house to look too. It was GORGEOUS!!!

Saw a shooting star near orion going downwards!
I'm missing loads I think, my bedroom is facing south, the gemini constellation should be passing right by my view. Hopefully I'll get to see loads

Lapin

Patchy cloud cover here in the East Galway area but plenty of clear skies to catch the odd glimpse. I've been in and out of the house a number of times since nine o clock (during ad breaks on The Apprentice !) and I haven't missed one yet anytime I went out.

Mint Sauce

Think I just seen 4 or 5 about 30 seconds or so apart, each lasting for no more than a second, traveling approx west to east, slightly bigger and brighter than your average star.

Would that be normal? Quite over cast here and light pollution from housing and street lights so not the clearest of skys. In Sligo.

amacachi

Stupid college. Shall have to wait for the Parseids it looks like.

amacachi

irish-stew wrote: »

Think I just seen 4 or 5 about 30 seconds or so apart, each lasting for no more than a second, traveling approx west to east, slightly bigger and brighter than your average star.

Would that be normal? Quite over cast here and light pollution from housing and street lights so not the clearest of skys.

Sounds like the Parseids did in the summer when I saw them yeah. Some seemed to go right across the sky.

Iancar29

irish-stew wrote: »

Think I just seen 4 or 5 about 30 seconds or so apart, each lasting for no more than a second, traveling approx west to east, slightly bigger and brighter than your average star.

Would that be normal? Quite over cast here and light pollution from housing and street lights so not the clearest of skys.

Wer abouts u located?

brucey2020

Everyone should reply by stating where they are.

I'm in Dublin, but its too cloudy to see anything:(.