h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Perseids maximum rate arrives on 12/13 August.

I caught sight of three this morning. Not very bright but definitely traced back to Perseus.

There shouldn't be much of a moon to wash them out this year. Best time for looking is in the early hours to pre-dawn.

Deke

I saw one last week while on aurora watch

I'm hoping for a clear night for a change. It would be good to get a good view of an event, just the once.

Deke

Well you have your wish, it's awesome here tonight, and no moon I've already seen one bright meteor and am off back out again before bed. I think Thursday night will be a washout

Yes I was out last night too. The rain during the day had washed out the air and it was clear as a bell. I could see what passes for a Milky Way around here.

Didn't see one meteor though. But I did see something odd. It was a like a satellite but its brightness level varied. Got quite bright then faded to almost nothing periodically over about ten seconds. It was travelling south to north. I think it was probably a piece of rotating space junk.

Isn't Jupiter magnificent at the moment. I can clearly discern it as a disc, naked eye. Moons with binnies though. Keep meaning to get the scope out to try for Uranus and Neptune which are nearby. In about a month they should be well placed between next door's house and the tree in the garden at a reasonable hour.

You're right, Thursday will be a washout. I never could get the hang of them.
Deke

Not rotating space junk (although that is possible) but one of many satellite fly bys.

Space Weather is a good site for information - http://spaceweather.com/ and has a link to fly bys at http://spaceweather.com/flybys/index.php?PHPSESSID=imt2sh1gsdev87319ctekmnbb3 . You can select your town if you are lucky by using the global link at the bottom

The forecast is for clear skies tonight in Dublin.

I doubt we'll be heading for the star party in Covenham

I have also seen the slow-moving on/off satellite, I recall pointing it out to Gordon on Tuesday night.

Jupiter is fantastic

with your meteor-viewing tonight Gnomon

After torrential rain late this afternoon the sky has cleared quite well and a pleasant sunset resulted. I’m just now looking at a orange coloured skyline in the west with dark clouds on the horizon. But overhead it’s beautifully clear with stars just beginning to show.

Looks hopeful… and another late night if it stays that way.

Deke

Well the sky above me in North Wales is Stygian so not a chance of even a star to look at.



t.

So, it stayed dry last night. But no sign of a star, never mind a shooting one.

I saw about 6 or 7 shooting stars over about 45 mins from 11.00pm to about 11.45pm approx, Thursday evening. I live in South Essex and the skies were pretty clear

It stayed clear for me last night. I was able to see six in a five minute period just after 12.30, but that was it.


According to the BBC we should get another chance tonight (13/14th) as its the second night of the shower's maximum. That's news to me but it was even mentioned on the news.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10941034

We've just had another downpour at about 7pm and its clearing quite nicely again as it did yesterday.

Deke

It's overcast here (in Dublin).

My skies remained overcast with near total cloud cover and intermittent rain. No Perseids to be seen this year

Ditto



t.

Well we had a successful night over at Covenham, the shower began at 10pm, preceded by an iridium flare! We lasted until 11pm, during which I saw at least 20, I lost count of the ones I missed reported by the others. As we headed home I got a text from my daughter and son-in-law at 11.20pm asking when it was due to start they had headed east to the coast, but not found anywhere dark enough. Next morning my son (who had stayed at home) had remembered me saying it would start about 10pm - he had gone out and seen several "fast streaks" (from our own back garden)

The weather here last evening turned abysmal. No chance of any further sightings.
Still, I have had better sightings this year than most. There may still be a few more stragglers in the next few days even so.

GB, It’s good to hear you had some clear weather and got a substantial number.

Deke

It's absolutely clear this evening. I'll try and spot some stragglers later. I think the shower lasts about 4 days.