Topic: Geminid Meteor Shower

[Jim]

This may be the best meteor shower this year.  The Geminid Meteor shower should be visible tonight after midnight.  From my house I'll be looking west.  Here is a link with more information.

http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/geminids2007.html

Sure would like to get some pictures if I can stay up that late.

[Wrennie]

Wont be able to see it through this blizzard up here. I like meteor showers too. Got up at 3am to watch one a few years ago.

[Jim]

Yeah I am hoping the clouds move out tonight so we will have a chance to see it.  It's cloudy here today and breezy so hopefully they will keep moving.  I may set my camera up on the tripod and see if I can get a few shots if it's clear.

[Triss]

Not going to see it here either with all of the clouds and fog.  Hope you can get some nice shots and even more,  a great view!

[patches]

Geesh, thanks so much for the information, Jim and the link to the site!    This night owl should have NO problem staying up to enjoy the show!  

Treat meteor watching like you would the 4th of July fireworks. Pack comfortable chairs, bug spray, food and drinks, blankets, plus a red-filtered flashlight for reading maps and charts without ruining your night vision.

Well, I guess I'm all set, but I think I'll skip the bug spray, since I'm sure all the bugs around here are frozen.  Probably skip the food too at that time of night, but a big thermos of hot cocoa would sure hit the spot!  I have a perfect spot at the school behind my house.  If I walk over to where the baseball diamonds are - it's pitch black and we've even watched fireworks from there before, so that should work great.    

[Jim]

So far it's been too cloudy here to see anything.  I went out a bit ago and could see a few stars looking south but nothing but clouds looking west.  There must be some pretty brisk upper level winds because the clouds look almost like wide smoke trails.  I've been manually adjusting my camera and trying to see if I can get a few shots of the night sky just in case the clouds move out and there is a photo opportunity.

[Dianna]

I just went outside with Jim for a minute or two to look at the stars. My butt was freezing from sitting on the brick steps, so I came back inside. Need to take the air mattress out there and plenty of covers if I want to stargaze....

[patches]

Jim, I was out there for almost an hour, and I could see a few stars too; however, there didn't seem to be as many as there sometimes are!     Well, I wasn't seeing anything and I finally had to give up bcause it was too darn cold being out there with the wind blowing!!!    

Actually, our the weatherman on the news said that Friday, December 14th is supposed to be the peak of the showers.  So, I might it try again tonight,   but we have some snow moving and I don't know how that will affect it.  

[Jim]

Actually, our the weatherman on the news said that Friday, December 14th is supposed to be the peak of the showers.  So, I might it try again tonight,  but we have some snow moving and I don't know how that will affect it.   

That may be but it is Dec 14th now and the first statement on the link I posted said :

The Geminid meteor shower should be at its best the night of December 13.

Besides, what does a weather man know about meteors? 

The website also says, look west before dawn, so if you wait till Friday night, I'm afraid you will miss it.

I was just outside and the clouds have cleared here and I saw 2 streaking toward the earth.  Got Dianna out there and we didn't see any more.  I'm going to check one more time and then call it a night.

[MassMama]

  why is it every time there is a meteor shower it is cloudy!
I was hoping to catch some this mornin but the clouds are still out there

[patches]

You were right, Jim,  and I was still up at 3:30, but there was no way I was going to walk out back out in the baseball fields all by myself at that time of the night. I may have done something like that many years ago when you could walk around the neighborhood at any time of night and not worry.  Unfortunately, it's much different now, just like everywhere else, so you have to be smart. 

Besides, what does a weather man know about meteors?   

Geesh, I don't know, Jim, since they don't seem to do very well on any of the weather forecasts either.    I just figured they had to know a lot more than I do, since I don't know anything about meteors!    Of course, I think they probably can get some of their information from the people who do know about things like this.     Actually, the guy who does the medical reporting on the news isn't even a doctor.      Although, I will have so say that he came through for me BIG time with my mom!!!    I'll always be grateful for what he did.   

[Jim]

I didn't see any more either.  The clouds had cleared out by the time I went to bed but by then I was too tired to be interested.  And I wasn't about to get up just before dawn when the predictions said the highest concentration would be.

Of course, tonight, there's not a cloud in the sky!    Figures!

[patches]

Geesh, I'm sorry you didn't get to see any more of them, Jim; but, at least, you got to see a few!    I didn't even get to see anything and got darn cold in the process.   

Of course, tonight, there's not a cloud in the sky!    Figures!

Well, it seems like it's always that way, I guess it's just Murphy's law!!! 

[Tina]

I went to bed at 10  PST last night and watched out the big picture window. There were some meteors. But I couldn't stay awake for long. I only saw four shooting stars before I zonked.