Might Be Dramatic Evening: In The Sky

[Psamathe]

With a moderately decent forecast for this evening, don't forget the meteor shower arriving tonight. The Camelopardalids (remnants of Comet 209P/LINEAR) are arriving tonight and might give meteor rates (shooting stars) of up to 1000 per hour (although traditionally this meteor shower gives rates of up to 400 per hour - which is still pretty decent). But even the lower rates put if way above even the Persid Meteor shower (the famous one each August with rates around 100 per hour)

The meteors will appear to come from the Camelopardalis constellation (not one of the more famous ones). Camelopardalis is between the constellation of Cassiopeia (the "famous W") and Ursa Major (which includes "the plough").

It's a new meteor shower and only started after Comet 209P/LINEAR changed orbit after a "close encounter with Jupiter" in 2012.

And to make things even more "exciting", the Moon is expected to get something of a "pounding" as well.

Ian

[cycleruk]

So we are in for a cloudy night then ?

[Mick F]

Blue skies (ish) here at the mo, but black clouds about too.
I very much doubt we'll see anything, but thanks for the Heads Up.

[Psamathe]

Blue skies (ish) here at the mo, but black clouds about too.
I very much doubt we'll see anything, but thanks for the Heads Up.

http://www.sat24.com/en/gb might give you some idea about where the cloud is "going".

Ian

[Mick F]

......... or you can watch this:
http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

[Psamathe]

......... or you can watch this:
http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

I used to use it but find the limited zoom in restricting (does not zoom is very far). These days I tend to use http://www.meteoradar.co.uk/Home which has a 5 minute resolution (rather than the 15 min resolution used by RainToday) and tends to be more recent, though only does the last hour. http://www.meteox.co.uk/h.aspx?r=&jaar=-3&soort=loop1uur is more equivalent to RainToday, and allows you include cloud with the animated rainfall (and lightening) plus animation sequences that go back for up to the last 24hrs. There is a 3 hrs future projection though I find it fairly useless.

But everybody has their favourites.

The sat24 is cloud cover rather than rainfall.

Ian

[ferrit worrier]

I've just come in from the workshop, back wheel sorted. front hub released from a worn rim ready for tomorrow and the front wheel lace up for my new bike, it's raining, cloudy, cold, miserable, and I've been up since 0400 silly o'clock this morning so it looks like I'll miss it.

Is it on for just one night or will it last a couple of nights?

Malc

[Psamathe]

Is it on for just one night or will it last a couple of nights?

Sorry but unlikely - it's a narrow window. It is the first time it [the meteor shower] will have been observed on Earth (back again in 5 years!).

But there is always the Persids in August (longer duration with high shooting star rates) and better established in that it is a debris cloud from comet with a long established orbit. Seem every year so more predictable. Persids are always worth watching.

Ian

[hondated]

... 0400 silly o'clock this morning so it looks like I'll miss it. Malc

And me I was working at the election count last night and did not get home till 11am today so watching the sky night for me is a definite no no. What a shame nighty night off to bed.

[Mick F]

I was answering a call of nature at soom after midnight, and went outside to look up at the sky.

I could see the Plough, but not much else other than the gathering clouds. I waited a few minutes to see what I could see, but gave up as the cloud cover rapidly went to eight eighths.

I went back to bed.

[Psamathe]

I was answering a call of nature at soom after midnight, and went outside to look up at the sky.

I could see the Plough, but not much else other than the gathering clouds. I waited a few minutes to see what I could see, but gave up as the cloud cover rapidly went to eight eighths. :cry:

I went back to bed.

Probably a good plan. I had moderately clear skies and watched for a bit and not the predicted excitement!

Ian

[Hemipode]

Thanks for the heads up
Managed to see a handfull over about an hours gap in the cloud but the sky then closed shop for the night.

[JohnW]

I was answering a call of nature at soom after midnight, and went outside..................

...........we have inside loos up here now, Mick.

[Mick F]

Gosh, that's posh!

[JohnW]

Gosh, that's posh!

Yes - I know - whatever next?