(meteorobs) Meteor Activity Outlook for February 2-8, 2007

[Robert Lunsford]

February meteor rates will be less than those seen in January for observers
located in the northern hemisphere. Only the weak Delta Leonids are active
this month. Combine this with falling sporadic rates and it is often a
struggle to go out into the cold. The southern hemisphere also experiences a
dip in sporadic rates but the activity from the Alpha Centaurids more than
makes up this difference. Observers south of the equator are encouraged to
take advantage of the warm nights and to view the meteor activity as often
as possible. There are many suspected radiants in the southern sky this time
of year which are in need of study. Only the Alpha Centaurids have been
verified but there may be other centers of activity awaiting discovery.

During this period the moon reaches its full phase on Friday February 2. The
sources of meteors listed below are active during this period but will be
difficult to observe this week. If your sky is transparent and the limiting
magnitude exceeds +5.0, then you may be able to achieve some success. The
estimated total hourly rates for evening observers this week is near one for
those in the Northern Hemisphere and two for those located in the Southern
Hemisphere. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be
near four for those viewing in the Northern Hemisphere and seven for those
in the Southern Hemisphere. These rates assume that you are watching from
rural areas away from all sources of light pollution. The actual rates will
also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local
weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity.
Rates are reduced this week due to intense moonlight.

The radiant positions listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday
morning February 3/4. These positions do not change greatly day to day so
the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star
atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps
with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out
exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or
computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time
of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen
when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along
the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor
activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards
from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the
radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Doing this will allow you to
easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower
member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not
seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below
are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial
longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore
are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list
rise later in the night.

The full descriptions of each active meteor shower will continue next week
when the moon becomes less of a nuisance to observers.

Antihelion (ANT) - 09:52 (148) +11
Northern Hemisphere 1 - Southern Hemisphere >1

Alpha Centaurids (ACE) 13:48 (207) -59
Northern Hemisphere >1 - Southern Hemisphere 2

*For a detailed explanation on the different classes of meteor showers and
other astronomical terms, please visit:
http://www.amsmeteors.org/showers.html#X2006

Clear Skies!
Robert Lunsford
American Meteor Society