Geminids are coming

[rhihn]

Peak viewing is December 13-14, with approximately 50-80 per hour. New moon that night should help.

http://skytour.homestead.com/met2009.html#anchor_13
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geminids
http://meteorshowersonline.com/geminids.html
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/meteors/3306946.html

Perhaps TFR knows more.

 

[sardog1]

Thanks! But between the full moon now, the Geminids, and the blue moon at the end of the month, when am I gonna get any sleep?

 

[forestgnome]

Thanks! Thinking about a nice hike for this one, maybe Tuckerman Ravine.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Thanks! But between the full moon now, the Geminids, and the blue moon at the end of the month, when am I gonna get any sleep?

Assuming you have Nordic relatives, tell them that in addition to the Blue Moon, there will be a slight partial eclipse that night in Europe!

 

[sardog1]

Assuming you have Nordic relatives, tell them that in addition to the Blue Moon, there will be a slight partial eclipse that night in Europe!

Thanks for the tip. It's not quite Ragnarok, for which fact we can bang our pots together and be thankful, but it's close, as was foretold --

From the Prose Edda, tr. by Rasmus B. Anderson:

11. Then said Ganglere: How does he steer the course of the sun and the moon? Answered Har: Mundilfare hight the man who had two children. They were so fair and beautiful that he called his son Moon, and his daughter, whom he gave in marriage to a man by name Glener, he called Sun. But the gods became wroth at this arrogance, took both the brother and the sister, set them up in heaven, and made Sun drive the horses that draw the car of the sun, which the gods had made to light up the world from sparks that flew out of Muspelheim. These horses hight Arvak and Alsvid. Under their withers the gods placed two wind-bags to cool them, but in some songs it is called ironcold (ísarnkol). Moon guides the course of the moon, and rules its waxing and waning. He took from the earth two children, who hight Bil and Hjuke, as they were going from the well called Byrger, and were carrying on their shoulders the bucket called Sager and the pole Simul. Their father's name is Vidfin. These children always accompany Moon, as can be seen from the earth.
12. Then said Ganglere: Swift fares Sun, almost as if she were afraid, and she could make no more haste in her course if she feared her destroyer. The answered Har: Nor is it wonderful that she speeds with all her might. Near is he who pursues her, and there is no escape for her but to run before him. Then asked Ganglere: Who causes her this toil? Answered Har: It is two wolves (1). The one hight Skol, he runs after her; she fears him and he will one day overtake her. The other hight Hate, Hrodvitner's son; he bounds before her and wants to catch the moon, and so he will at last. Then asked Ganglere: Whose offspring are these wolves? Said Har: A hag dwells east of Midgard, in the forest called Jarnved (Ironwood), where reside the witches called Jarnvidjes. The old hag gives birth to many giant sons, and all in wolf's likeness. Thence come these two wolves. It is said that of this wolf race one is the mightiest, and is called Moongarm. He is filled with the life-blood of all dead men. He will devour the mon, and stain the heavens and all the sky with blood. Thereby the sun will be darkened, the winds will grow wild, and roar hither and thither, as it is said in the Prophecy of the Vala:

In the east dwells the old hag,
In the Jarnved forest;
And brings forth there
Fenrer's offspring.
There comes of them all
One the worst,
The moon's devourer
In a troll's disguise.
He is filled with the life-blood
Of men doomed to die;
The seats of the gods
He stains with red gore;
Sunshine grows black
The summer thereafter,
All weather gets fickle.
Know you yet or not? (2)

 

[DrewKnight]

I am ashamed to admit that I slept quite soundly through this, only to wake up at 5:48am this morning to look out the window and see what looked like a hot orange ember streak across the sky from northwest to southeast... then I remembered the meteor shower. Nice wake-up call, anyway...

 

[forestgnome]

What a show! That was one of the most enjoyable meteor showers I've ever experienced, lots of shooters and fireballs across the entire dome. Most were quite fast, IMO, ( they are considered medium-speed ), with some nice colored trails of blue, green, yellow, red, orange, as Drew describes. A few diplayed the tumbling trail as they broke up upon slamming into the atmosphere.

I was out from midnight to 3:00 and I saw about two hundred The sky was crisp and clear as the storm had just cleared, with just a few fast-flying clouds to add a nice touch. Temps were pleasant and wind very very light.

Here's a fireball flashing from near Orion's feet toward the horizon, ducking behind a cloud and then reappearing for a brilliant blue/green finish.

 

[Trudy]

Wow, Forestgnome.
Do you mean you were out Monday morning or this morning?

I spent last night (Monday/Tuesday) in a field near Colgate Lake. Nothing but clouds until 2 am. I woke up and it was clear. From my sleeping bag I could look directly up at Castor and Pollux, the Gemini twins. Only saw one meteor, but it was a good one. Had fun looking at the constellations anyway.

 

[forestgnome]

Wow, Forestgnome.
Do you mean you were out Monday morning or this morning?

I spent last night (Monday/Tuesday) in a field near Colgate Lake. Nothing but clouds until 2 am. I woke up and it was clear. From my sleeping bag I could look directly up at Castor and Pollux, the Gemini twins. Only saw one meteor, but it was a good one. Had fun looking at the constellations anyway.

Well, that sounds nice! These meteors radiate from a point near Castor (hence Geminids). The meteor shower peaked Sunday night, so you just missed the peak, but it sounds like you caught a nice one anyway. They generally drop off quickly after the peak.

There's another great shower in a few weeks.

 

[Trudy]

That is gorgeous photography. Aldebaran, the Pleiades; so much detail. More stars than I generally see even on a clear night.
Just beautiful.

 

[forestgnome]

That is gorgeous photography. Aldebaran, the Pleiades; so much detail. More stars than I generally see even on a clear night.
Just beautiful.

Thanks very much! I see you're a fellow night sky lover The 30" of exposure does capture more stars than the eye can see, however the skies over the White Mountains are dark. I believe magnitude +6.5 is the visual limit, and stars of that mag. are definately visible here to the naked eye.

Clear Skies