(meteorobs) Meteor Activity Outlook for December 25-31, 2010

[Robert Lunsford]

Richard,

In case this happens again, the outlook is also available at: 
http://www.amsmeteors.org/2010/12/meteor-activity-outlook-for-december-25-31/

Clear Skies!

Bob

-----Original Message----- 
From: Richard Kramer
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2010 4:14 PM
To: Global Meteor Observing Forum
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Meteor Activity Outlook for December 25-31, 2010

Robert,

Something must be different about your email
client. This week's activity outlook came as a
typographical monolith (see  below), a single
massive "paragraph" of words, hard to read..

Regards and best wishing for the coming year,
Richard


At 01:28 PM 12/27/2010, you wrote:
>During this period the moon reaches its last
>quarter phase on Tuesday December 28th. At this
>time the moon lies ninety degrees west of the
>sun and rises near midnight local standard time
>(LST) for those located in the mid-northern
>latitudes. With the moon waning and rising later
>each morning, this opens up another opportunity
>to view meteor activity under improving
>conditions. The estimated total hourly rates for
>evening observers this week is near four from
>the northern hemisphere and three for observers
>south of the equator. For morning observers the
>estimated total hourly rates should be near
>fifteen from the northern hemisphere and twelve
>as seen from the southern hemisphere. 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. Morning rates are
>reduced this week due to moonlight. The radiant
>(the area of the sky where meteors appear to
>shoot from) positions and rates listed below are
>exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning December
>25/26. 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.
>Viewing there 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 following showers are expected to be
>active this week: Now that the activity from
>particles produced by comet 2P/Encke has ceased
>encountering the Earth, the Taurid showers for
>2010 are over and we resume reporting activity
>from the Antihelion (ANT) radiant. This is not a
>true radiant but rather activity caused by the
>Earth’s motion through space. As the Earth
>revolves around the sun it encounters particles
>orbiting in a prograde motion that are
>approaching their perihelion point. They all
>appear to be radiating from an area near the
>opposition point of the sun, hence the name
>Antihelion. These were once recorded as separate
>showers throughout the year but it is now
>suggested to bin them into their category
>separate from true showers and sporadics. This
>radiant is a very large oval some thirty degrees
>wide by fifteen degrees high. Activity from this
>radiant can appear from more than one
>constellation. The position listed here is for
>the center of the radiant which is currently
>located at 07:08 (107) +22. This position lies
>in central Gemini, two degrees west of the
>fourth magnitude star Delta Geminorum. Since the
>radiant is so large, Antihelion activity may
>also appear from eastern Taurus, northeastern
>Orion, western Cancer, or southern Auriga. This
>radiant is best placed near midnight LST when it
>lies on the meridian and is highest in the sky.
>Rates at this time should be near three per hour
>as seen from the northern hemisphere and two per
>hour from south of the equator. With an entry
>velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Antihelion
>meteor would be of slow velocity. Activity from
>the Alpha Hydrids (AHY) begin to appear on the
>morning of December 30th. This shower reaches
>maximum activity on the 31st from a radiant
>located at 08:24 (126) -08. This position lies
>in extreme western Hydra, fifteen degrees west
>of the second magnitude star Alphard (Alpha
>Hydrae). These meteors are best seen near 0200
>LST when the radiant lies highest above the
>horizon. Hourly rates from this shower will be
>less than one per hour away from the night of
>maximum activity. Rates as high as two per hour
>may be seen on the morning of the 30th, no
>matter your location. At 45 km/sec. the Alpha
>Hydrids produce meteors of medium velocity. The
>December Leonis Minorids (DLM) are active from a
>radiant located at 11:06 (167) +27. This
>position lies in a blank area of the sky where
>the borders of Leo Minor, Leo, and Ursa Major
>meet. The nearest bright stars are Nu and Xi
>Ursae Majoris which lie five degrees to the
>northeast. These meteors are best seen near 0500
>LST when the radiant lies highest above the
>horizon. This shower peaked on December 20th so
>current rates would be near one per hour as seen
>from the northern hemisphere and less than one
>per hour as seen from south of the equator. At
>64 km/sec. the December Leonis Minorids produce
>mostly swift meteors. As seen from the
>mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect
>to see approximately ten Sporadic meteors per
>hour during the last hour before dawn as seen
>from rural observing sites. Evening rates would
>be near three per hour. As seen from the
>mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates
>would be near eight per hour as seen from rural
>observing sites and two per hour during the
>evening hours. Locations between these two
>extremes would see activity between the listed
>figures. Morning rates are reduced by moonlight
>during this period. The list below presents a
>condensed version of the expected activity this
>week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday
>night/Sunday morning. Antihelions (ANT) - 07:08
>(107) +22   Velocity - 30km/sec. Northern
>Hemisphere - 3 per hr. Southern Hemisphere - 2
>per hr Alpha Hydrids (AHY) - 08:24 (126)
>-08  Velocity - 45 km/sec. Northern Hemisphere -
>1 per hr. Southern Hemisphere - 1 per hr.
>December Leonis Minorids (DLM) - 11:06 (167) +27
>Velocity - 71km/sec. Northern Hemisphere - 1 per
>hr. Southern Hemisphere - <1 per
>hr
>Clear Skies! Robert Lunsford American Meteor
>Society
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