kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Looks as if the Leonids will occur close to New Moon next month with a peak around Tuesday morning, November 17th. Hoping everyone gets good weather for this great meteor shower.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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dan777
member
Reged: 11/16/07
Posts: 79
Loc: Michigan
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Kraterkid (aka Brian Wilson) - sign me up, I'll be there! I saw a few Orionid meteors this morning, but tomorrow (the more optimum morning) will be a cloud-out for me.
Dan
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Orion XT8i
Tasco 60 mm refractor
Nikon 8x21 binoculars
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Nine days till the fireworks!  Actually these meteors have already started, I saw a few the last couple of nights and I don't think they were just the random shooting stars you see on any evening, these were coming from the radiant.
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16264
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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It would be nice to see those fireworks.
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Ted
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Matthew Ota
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 1096
Loc: New England
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If it will top what happened in 1991 I will go out to see them, weather permitting.
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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Ted and Matt,
I hope this shower will be the equal of the '91 event, that was a very active one. I've seen this shower every cloudless night since I was a kid, and have rarely been disappointed. The Moonless night should kick it up a notch in terms of count, being all those faint meteors will show against a dark sky. I'm totally psyched! 
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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janehoustonjones
sage
Reged: 10/21/07
Posts: 405
Loc: 34 N 118 W, 637.0 feet
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Here's hoping for clear skies! Here's a little history about the 1899 Leonids. :-) The Leonids of 1899
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Jane Houston Jones
NASA What's Up Podcast for November (The Crab Nebula)
New NASA web feature: Hunting Leonids
Latest Blog: A Runaway Star and the Flaming Star Nebula
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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That's so cool Jane, wow the first woman astronomer to observe the Leonid Shower from a balloon. The mere thought of such a fantastic experience, what an wonderful moment in the life of an incredible woman! Thank you for sharing that Leonid Shower story!
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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dsnope
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 1011
Loc: OC California
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What are your thoughts on best observing times?
From what I have read, the shower will peak around 4pm EST or 1pm here in California. 21:50 UT, I believe. Apparently the optimum place to observe it will be in Nepal. For you east-coasters, are your plans to observe at sunset and hope to catch the back end of the main trail? But there are other minor trails that we may pass through and get some extra meteors. The 1567 trail, for example, at 7:30 UT.
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16264
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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If it is clear I will try both before and after the peak.
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Ted
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dsnope
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 1011
Loc: OC California
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Before the peak is bright daylight.
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10494
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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The Leonid meteor shower may be more active than normal this year, with a possible outburst taking place after the shower’s traditional peak, which should occur around 16:00 UT (IMO site & the RASC Observer's Handbook). An enhanced rate of more than 100 meteors per hour (up to 500 per hour according to one prediction mentioned in the November issue of Sky & Telescope) may occur at approximately 22:00 UT on November 17, favoring observers in Asia.
http://www.imo.net/calendar/2009#leo
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/04dec_leonids2009.htm
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/081204-leonids-meteor-shower-2009.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33589356/ns/technology_and_science-science/
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 16264
Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
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Quote:
Before the peak is bright daylight.
Meaning the night before. 
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Ted
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dsnope
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/28/06
Posts: 1011
Loc: OC California
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That's what I'm leaning towards. I was excited to see a possibility of 200/hr for the 1567 trail on Monday night. 11:30pm works out very well for us west coasties.
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3468
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
For you east-coasters, are your plans to observe at sunset and hope to catch the back end of the main trail?
No point in observing at sunset. Leo doesn't rise until midnight or thereabouts, and no Leonids are visible before that. (Taurids, of course, are another story.)
As for when I plan to observe -- beggars can't be choosers. I'll observe if and when it's clear.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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glotwp55
member
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 38
Loc: South Jersey
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So the correct time to view this is the night of November 16th into the morning of november 17th correct?
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kraterkid
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/05
Posts: 4550
Loc: Jacumba, California
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That's correct glotwp55. The night of the 18th is several hours past the peak, but I'll probably go out then as well. I'm really jazzed about this shower. Especially because the lack of a bright Moon means we'll see everything that the stream allows for our respective longitudes. I'd love to be in Asia though, based on the possibility that they could see as many as 1000 per hour (ZHR). I'd settle for a tenth of that! 
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Rich
My CN Gallery
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10494
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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Quote:
Quote:
For you east-coasters, are your plans to observe at sunset and hope to catch the back end of the main trail?
No point in observing at sunset. Leo doesn't rise until midnight or thereabouts, and no Leonids are visible before that. (Taurids, of course, are another story.)
As for when I plan to observe -- beggars can't be choosers. I'll observe if and when it's clear.
Well, there's always the possibility of seeing some Earthgrazers.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/leonids_commentary_011116.html
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3468
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
So the correct time to view this is the night of November 16th into the morning of november 17th correct?
The main peak is best observed between midnight and dawn on the night of Nov. 16-17. However, a sharp peak is forecast after that for people in Asia. There's an off-chance that this second peak will still be active on the night of Nov. 17-18.
Moreover, meteor showers yield constant surprises. There's always the possibility of detecting a hitherto-unknown burst of activity.
It's a good time of year for meteors anyway, with the long-lasting Taurid meteor shower still active. And at new Moon.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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SabiaJD
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 510
Loc: Clarks Summit, PA
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
For you east-coasters, are your plans to observe at sunset and hope to catch the back end of the main trail?
No point in observing at sunset. Leo doesn't rise until midnight or thereabouts, and no Leonids are visible before that. (Taurids, of course, are another story.)
As for when I plan to observe -- beggars can't be choosers. I'll observe if and when it's clear.
Well, there's always the possibility of seeing some Earthgrazers.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/leonids_commentary_011116.html
Dave Mitsky
It's been my experience that most of the Leonid Earthgrazers I've seen were in the North and NorthEast sky.
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John D. Sabia
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