Perseids 2010

[Harry]

we were very lucky last night, total cloud cover was forcast but the skies cleared and remained clear until around 11:30, we saw about 20 meteors, we even got my son out of bed to watch. There were some very bright ones and ones with tails that took some time to fade, my son even saw some colours in the tails of one or two. Well worthwaiting up for, last few years ahve been disappointing this year redressed that.

M

BTW Jupiter has been looking fantastic over the last few days also, managed to see 5 or 6 moons the other day.

Is Jupiter the really bright 'star' in the sky at the moment that rises from the East, or is that just sirius?

[Phil UK]

That is indeed Jupiter, Harry. With a powerful enough telescope, you'll find Uranus not too far away from it.

Sirius is best seen around December/January and is at a lower declination than Jupiter currently is.

As for my view of the Perseids last night...

Disappointing to be honest. Looked out at around 11pm and cloud banks, interspersed with brief clear slots. Managed to see two rather faint ones but gave up after spotting another large cloud bank move in. (Plus not to mention that I was also rather tired!)

Maybe tonight if all goes well... (Meaning YOU weather!!)

Why is it that when certain astronomical events take place, it always does what you don't want it to do, (clouds over!) yet when you do want the weather to do what you want/wish, (storms! 3 months,12 days since the last one and the count goes on...) it doesn't?

Phil.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Phil UK

[kerensa]

hi from somerset

we had a great show last night, even got my 9yrd up to see his first shooting stars now hes hooked, wants to know if any tonight lol, but me wonders is it because he wants to stay up late!!!!lol,

the skies were very clear and to my count one every 30secs from 11.00pm til i got tired at 1am

[Methuselah]

I saw nothing at all...

[Phil UK]

Good morning, Kerensa.

If conditions are favourable (ie... No cloud!) Then you should still be able to see a few more tonight but the peak will have died down somewhat compared to last night.

It's one of those meteor showers that lasts for days, rather than say the Quadrantids in early January which lasts only a few hours at its peak, then suddenly disappears.

And if all else fails... There's always next August.

Phil.

[Harry]

That is indeed Jupiter, Harry. With a powerful enough telescope, you'll find Uranus not too far away from it.

Sirius is best seen around December/January and is at a lower declination than Jupiter currently is.

As for my view of the Perseids last night...

Disappointing to be honest. Looked out at around 11pm and cloud banks, interspersed with brief clear slots. Managed to see two rather faint ones but gave up after spotting another large cloud bank move in. (Plus not to mention that I was also rather tired!)

Maybe tonight if all goes well... (Meaning YOU weather!!)

Why is it that when certain astronomical events take place, it always does what you don't want it to do, (clouds over!) yet when you do want the weather to do what you want/wish, (storms! 3 months,12 days since the last one and the count goes on...) it doesn't?

Phil.

Cheers Phil I did wonder, as like you I normally associated Sirius more with the winter months and more towards the South.

Hopefully, with clearing skies again tonight (fingers crossed) we might have a similar setup as last night - perseids with distant lightning flashes Hopefully they're a bit more frequent than last night

[Flipflop]

The best of the bunch from last night and my location.

[Moomin]

Is Jupiter the really bright 'star' in the sky at the moment that rises from the East, or is that just sirius?

Yes exactly right, from where I am it is visible from around 11pm

[WS Evolution]

I went to a location between York and the North York Moors which has little light pollution. Excellent view at around 11.45pm, saw 6 in about 10-15mins, but the cloud then moved in. Excellent view of the milky way, so was worth driving a little further away from York for the stars along. Overall worth the effort of driving out to find a good location and clear skies.

[Gray-Wolf]

I saw one nicely coloured one before the cloud came in (12:30 ish?) which burst overhead . Saw some 'corner of the eye' flashes but I can't count them!

[stewfox]

The best of the bunch from last night and my location.

Great pics

To save a few dozen googles.

Ones that look like stars moving against the back ground I assume they just very ‘high up’ or do I need better glasses?.

How ‘low’ do the ones go that ‘whiz’ over ?.

I heard no noise so assume there far too high for that or will some be ‘heard’ by human ear.

I started by trying to look at all the sky all the time and of course missed a few out of the corner of my eye.

Then decide to lie down on my sub bed in the garden (as you do) and generally fixed my gaze on cira 30% of sky.

Any ‘best’ methods.

The brightest one I saw didn’t have the longest tail.

[Mesosphere]

clearish patches here last night for a time but saw nothing. Cloud rolled in at 11pm and stayed that way , so the count was 0 for me. Ruddy Cloud!

[Stormyking]

well from what looked like it was going to be a disaster last nigth from that shower and cloud we was under, just dissolved by midnight, so we went to Bembridge windmill and was the clearest I have ever seen it and it was an unbelievable night, originally we was just going to go out for 45mins from 00:15 till 1am, we stayed till 3am and saw the most amazing meteors. Some of the streaks were enormous which some lit up green and orange. At one point we saw 10 within 30 seconds but it came in spells as there would be no meteors for about a minute or 2 then they would all come at once. All in all we must of saw close to 90-100 which caught us by suprise big time.

[Flipflop]

@ Stewfox

The method i used was..

ISO 1600 - 2000

18mm wide open but will try a 50mm next at f2 to see if can get a better focus & detail..

15 - 10 seconds

tripod and remote

And lots of luck

I had to stay in the garden so all the pictures had that orange glow from all the city lights.

[liamcymro]

Better conditions here today - skies clearing to the North now - but will it still be possible to see the Perseids Shower again tonight? Would love to some...

[Harry]

Better conditions here today - skies clearing to the North now - but will it still be possible to see the Perseids Shower again tonight? Would love to some...

Oh yes definitely, if it's clear! Or so says Brian Cox (legend IMO!) - though skies nowhere near as clear here tonight at the moment...under these weather systems, like last night, skies tend to clear after sunset - last night was clear, chilly with no breeze...more of the same tonight would be nice

[Cookie]

been to cloudy here

[chrisb1357]

Can they still be seen tonight does anyone know

Chris