Meteor showers in 2007

The Draconids (Oct. 8-9) peak on moonless nights this year. Not many meteors are typically seen with this shower--perhaps ten per hour. The parent comet is 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.

Up to 20 yellow and green fast meteors per hour may be seen with the Orionids (Oct. 21-22) from the northern hemisphere or up to 40 from the southern hemisphere. In 2007, however, a waxing gibbous moon will spoil the view for most of the night. It'll set in time to leave two or three hours of potentially good viewing in the morning. Comet 1P/Halley is the parent comet.

A first quarter moon will wash out the Leonids (Nov. 17-18) during the evenings. The next peak year is about three decades away, but observers may hope to see a few stray particles penetrating the atmosphere after midnight.

The Skyscrapers, Inc. Astronomical Society of Rhode Island describes the Geminids (Dec. 13-14) as the most reliable shower of the year. Perhaps it is also the most colorful. Most of these meteors are white, some are yellow, and a few are red, blue, or green. A thin crescent moon provides little interference for this shower before setting early in the evening. The Geminids are the only meteor shower attributed not to a comet, but to an asteroid. This shower's parent is 3200 Phaethon.

Meteor showers in 2008

Down to the hour meteor shower forecasts continue to be elusive for many showers. Almanako.com provides them when available below.

The Quadrantids (Jan. 3-4) are expected to peak at 5 hours UTC on January 4th. This shower is described as having a very sharp peak. Such is indicative of a compact debris trail from associated comet 2003 EH1. Look for up to 40 bright blue and fast meteors per hour. The moon will be just a few days before new for this shower in 2008, giving little light interference.

The April Lyrids (Apr. 21-22) are very fast and very bright. Their dust trails often glow for several seconds. Only the brightest will be visible around the 2008 peak because of the full moon. The parent comet is C/Thatcher.

The Eta Aquarids (May 5-6) tend to put on a better show in the southern hemisphere. Peak rates are up to 60 per hour. The moon is new for this shower in 2008 meaning visibility will be as good as it gets without a more recent visit from the parent comet. This is one of two meteor showers associated with Comet 1P/Halley. The other is the Orionid shower in October.

The June Lyrids (Jun. 14-16) will be a shower for the patient meteor watcher in 2008. Low activity (up to ten meteors per hour) and a nearly full moon will make them hard to find.

The Delta Aquarids (Jul. 28-29) peak with about 20 bright, fast, yellow meteors per hour. The moon won't interfere for most of the night. Positive identification of a Delta Aquarid requires tracing the streak back to the star Delta Aquarius. There's another meteor shower that peaks around the same time and many of the meteors have similar appearance.

The Capricornids (July 29-30) peak around 15 per hour and are fairly fast yellow meteors. These trace back to the constellation Capricorn. It's easy to see meteors around this shower's peak date and not be certain if they are in fact Capricornids or Delta Aquarids. If you see a bright fireball, it's more likely to be a Capricornid. In any case, try to trace the path back to either Capricorn or the star Delta Aquarius.

The Perseids (Aug. 12-13) are forecast to have two peaks in 2008. The first at 0 hours on August 12th, the second at 14 hours on the same day. Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle is responsible for the dust trail that produces this shower. You may see up to 60 per hour, however, the peak in 2008 will be washed out by the full moon.

The Draconids (Oct. 8-9) are a low frequency shower with just ten meteors per hour at their peak. The meteors are rather dim. So expect the best viewing in 2008 to be in the early morning darkness after the gibbous waxing moon has set. Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner is the parent.

The Orionids (Oct. 21-22) are forecast to peak on Oct. 21st at 4 hours. They are produced when the earth strikes dust left by Comet 1P/Halley. The meteors are very fast and peak at about 20 per hour. They are often reported to be yellow or green. An almost last quarter moon will interfere with this shower after midnight. The evening view will be best.

The Taurids (Oct 31) put on a great show in 2005. People all over North America saw bright fireballs. Some claimed these fireballs were brighter than the full moon. Several astronomers complained they lost their night adapted vision because of them. The moon will be just past new for this shower in 2008, although if the fireballs are as bright as in 2005, that won't matter. Researcher David Asher at Armagh Observatory in the United Kingdom predicts Earth will pass through Comet 2P/Encke's dust trail again for the 2008 shower, thus producing a good show.

The Leonids (Nov. 17-18) peak on Nov. 17th at 7 hours. This shower last peaked in 2001. Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle is responsible for it. As 2008 is not expected to be a peak year, and as the moon is just past full, don't expect a great show this time around.

The Geminids (Dec. 13-14) are a very colorful show. White, yellow, blue, red, and green are often reported. This shower is the only one known to be caused by the earth's passage through an asteroid's dust trail. The parent is 3200 Phaethon. Viewing won't be very good though in 2008 due to the full moon.