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The passing of the Quadrantids marks the end of the meteor watching season for most amateur astronomers. The next major shower won't arrive until late July when Earth passes through the debris stream of comet Swift-Tuttle, resulting in the Perseid meteor shower. It's a long wait, but it may be worth it. The 1999 Perseids will signal the beginning of unusually good series of meteor observing opportunities -- possibly the best in decades. |
The action is expected to begin on August 12, 1999 when the Perseid
shower reaches maximum only two days after a new moon. At its
peak in 1998 the Perseid shower displayed as many as 80 meteors
per hour despite the bright light of a moon that was full only
4 days earlier. Thanks to darker skies the 1999 shower should
be even better. The Giacobinids, the next major shower after the Perseids, will also benefit from the dark skies of a new moon when it peaks on October 8-9, 1999. Last year's Giacobinids produced an outburst of 500+ meteors per hour over Japan thanks to the recent passage by Earth of its parent comet Giacobini-Zinner. The comet will be farther away from Earth this year, but still in the neighborhood, so the Giacobinids are likely to put on a good show once again. |
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Below: This colorful Leonid meteor
train was captured on film by Alvis Ko (© 1998, all rights
reserved) of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society, minutes after
a -20 magnitude fireball
exploded over Hong Hong. The photo was taken at about 2030 UT
on November 16th, 1998. The same train was photographed by another
Hong Kong astrophotographer, Ms. Ruby Leung. Her picture is located
at the Leonids
Live! photo gallery. ![]() Finally, 1999 will close with the Geminid meteors in December. The Geminid shower has steadily grown in strength for many years and now it is the most intense of the major annual showers. Like the 1999 Perseids and Giacobinids, the 1999 Geminids will take place under the dark skies of a nearly new moon. Over 100 meteors per hour should be visible on Dec. 13, 1999 when the shower peaks. |
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Web Links | |
The Star Trails Society
-- Join NASA as a Partner in Discovery!
NASA Liftoff meteor shower pages - learn the basics about meteor showers. Includes tutorials, Java animations, and educational activities. Satellite Tracking - monitor satellites as they weather the meteor shower NASA's Office of Space Science - press releases and other news related to NASA and astrophysics External Links: 1999 Meteor observing calendar -- from Gary Kronk Meteors and Comets web site North American Meteor Society -- Observing Guide International Meteor Organization -- analysis of the 1998 Leonid meteor shower |
Related Stories: 22 Dec. 1998: The
Ghost of Fireballs Past
-- RADAR echoes from Leonid and Geminid meteors. |
![]() More ![]() return to Space Science News Home Author: Dr.
Tony Phillips |