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Geminids 2009 |
 Dec 13 2009, 09:09 AM
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#1
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 877 Joined: 7-March 05 From: Switzerland Member No.: 186  |
Tonight one of the best meteor shower of 2009 is coming (probably). http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/08dec_geminids.htm
There's an interesting fact about this shower. It has been intensifying in recent decades and the trend could continue because of Earth's and the stream orbit has come closer and closer together. As I was awake this morning around 5 o'clock the sky was partly cloudly after rain yesterday and I saw my first Geminids in my life and still some of the much faster Leonids. Two of the Geminids have shown up as nice bolides and greenish. Keep fingers crossed that the weather will be cooperative. -------------------- |
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Dec 13 2009, 09:29 AM
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#2
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 The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
Very frustrating here last night. Sky was clear when I finished work at 9.30, but by the time I was free to go outside and start observing at 11.00 it had mostly clouded over. So I stayed up and watched DEFYING GRAVITY on Beeb2, hoping the clouds would have gone by the time it finished at 00.25, but nope, still cloudy... Was up at 6 this morning, and there were some gaps in the cloud but nothing happening in them. Oh well, better luck tonight I hope, the forecast is better at least.
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Dec 13 2009, 09:34 AM
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#3
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 Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8789 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
They're infrequent & slow, Stu. Hard to catch...but well worth the wait!
 Some of the brightest meteors I've seen were Geminids.So, of course, I'm in a major metropolitan area & it's raining like hell. Good luck! -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Dec 13 2009, 09:55 AM
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 877 Joined: 7-March 05 From: Switzerland Member No.: 186 |
Too bad about the weather here (and the very cold wind). Last night the rate(s) was already pretty high http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1...2&year=2009
Slower is good, isn't it  You get more time to move your head in the right direction, especially when a bolide show up.
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Dec 13 2009, 10:31 AM
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#5
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8789 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Indeed, slower is better! I love the Perseids, but the damn things are pretty fast, esp. towards dawn; peripheral vision is almost all you have. Geminids are slow & showy; you do have time to really see the meteor.
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Dec 13 2009, 10:40 AM
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#6
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The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
Been watching the Geminids for 30 years or so now (gulp!) so I can agree that they're slow. Saw a couple of really good showers before - one memorable one with a LOT of fireballs, seen from the side of a road in temps of -7 C, a real hand-clapping-foot-stomper!
I actually like the January "Quadrantids", they've always seemed very bright and leave long trails. But really hoping for a clear sky tonight, even tho I'll be getting back from work at 10, and observing for as long as I can before I have to sneak some sleep before getting up for work again at 6am Monday... 
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Dec 13 2009, 10:53 AM
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#7
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8789 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
I would have been watching them longer then you, but it got REALLY damn cold in Montana when I was young, to say nothing of snowy...
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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Dec 14 2009, 06:43 AM
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#8
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The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
So.... quite a clear sky through the afternoon yesterday, then clouds rolled in right as it started to get dark... clear sky again at 9pm, while I was still at work, of course, and by the time I had got back home, got changed, grabbed my binocs and trudged over to the park to start Geminid watching it was cloudy again... couple of small gaps, but nothing seen, so retreated inside to wait for an hour and try again... back outside, clearish, saw 10, maybe 11, non-remarkable Geminids in half an hour, then back came the clouds... retreated to bed at 01.00, but alarm set for on the hour... 02 - cloud... 03 - cloud... 04 - cloud... 05 - cloud... 06 - cloud, and time to go to work...
Might as well live on Titan or Venus. British weather, I hate you with a fist-clenching, knuckle-whitening, Kirk screaming "Khaaaaaaaaan!!!" passion.  -------------------- |
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Dec 14 2009, 06:55 AM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 4280 Joined: 19-April 05 From: .br at .es Member No.: 253 |
No chance here; it's snowing!
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Dec 14 2009, 07:44 AM
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#10
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14445 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
It was so cloudy - I couldn't even see the clouds. Just horizon to horizon of total nothing.
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Dec 14 2009, 08:04 AM
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 877 Joined: 7-March 05 From: Switzerland Member No.: 186 |
Wow Stu, I hadn't had your persistence.
As usual for this time of the year, steady high fog here all night. At least better so than weather that fool you all night long. -------------------- |
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Dec 14 2009, 09:08 AM
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#12
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 754 Joined: 9-February 07 Member No.: 1700 |
It was great in Pasadena, CA. Between 12:12 and 12:20, there were about 8 per minute!
No long streaks, prolly due to city light pollution. Dang cities! 
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Dec 14 2009, 05:42 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 754 Joined: 9-February 07 Member No.: 1700 |
I think I saw one coming almost straight down at me. It flared very brightly but only moved a tiny bit laterally.
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Dec 14 2009, 06:55 PM
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#14
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2922 Joined: 14-February 06 From: Very close to the Pyrénées Mountains (France) Member No.: 682 |
QUOTE (brellis @ Dec 14 2009, 06:42 PM)  I think I saw one coming almost straight down at me. It flared very brightly but only moved a tiny bit laterally. Iridium Flare -------------------- |
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| Guest_PhilCo126_* |
Dec 15 2009, 04:39 PM
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#15
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Guests |
Excellent weather at the Belgian coastline with on average 2 to 3 per minute...
Cold and long nights with Winter's solstice only a week away, but nice to see Mars & Saturn again
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