Remaining 2009 Meteor Showers

August 28th, 2009 0 Comments

meteor-showerThe Perseids Meteor Shower that just ended had me wondering about the remaining 2009 meteor showers. One of the coolest things about astronomy is a meteor shower but I tend to forget about them. Kind of like I did the Perseids, ahem. So, I decided to mark my calendar for future events. In all honesty, I prefer the meteor showers in the winter because in Florida it is a much more comfortable time to watch for shooting stars. Here goes:

  • October 17-25   Orionids Meteor Shower, peek fall rate will be the 21st and 22nd, look to the east after midnight for a great show.
  • November 13-20 Lenoids Meteor Shower, peek fall rate will be on the 17th and 18th look toward Leo after midnight.
  • December 6-19 Geminids Meteor Shower, peek fall rate will be the 13th and 14th, best visibility early morning but look east after midnight towards Gemini.

I have been known to take powerful binoculars or my telescope out to watch but usually find I enjoy it the most when I just take a chair or blanket and some hot chocolate. I can’t wait till my son is old enough to watch for shooting stars with me! Do you like summer or winter meteor showers best and how do you enjoy viewing them?

Photo Credit Chrisacuna

August 28th, 2009 by birdievogel | Posted in Near Space | Comments (0)

Start an International Space Station Fan Club!

April 16th, 2009 0 Comments

space-stationPeople around the globe are fascinated by the International Space Station, commonly known as the ISS. If you’re looking to meet with other ISS enthusiasts, why not start an ISS fan club in your area?

ISS fan clubs allow people to come together and share their love of science, the stars and astronomy. What’s more, since the ISS can be easily seen from Earth without the aid of special equipment, you can schedule your fan club to meet on nights when the ISS will pass over your city!

If you’re interested in joining or starting an International Space Station fan club in your city, post a message here!

(photo credit: bestrated1 and NASA)

April 16th, 2009 by admin | Posted in Near Space | Comments (0)