The normal Lyrid display, seen under moonless conditions, usually offers a peak of around 10 meteors per hour in addition to the normal random meteor rate of about 5 per hour. The peak is sharp, only a few hours long, so don’t be surprised if you see far less than 10 Lyrids per hour. Yet when compared to the normal low activity seen during the late winter and early spring nights, the nights around April 22nd offer a nice bit of entertainment to help one stay awake.
During this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Tuesday April 14th. At this time the moon lies 90 degrees west of the sun and will rise near 2:00 local daylight saving time (LDST). This weekend the waning gibbous moon will rise during the late evening hours and will spoil the sky with bright moonlight the remainder of the night.
During this period the moon reaches its full phase on Tuesday April 7th. At this time the moon lies opposite the sun and will be above the horizon all night long. This weekend the waxing gibbous moon will set during the morning hours allowing meteor observers a short window of opportunity to view under dark skies just before dawn.
During this period the moon reaches its first quarter phase on Wednesday April 1st. At this time the moon lies 90 degrees east of the sun and will set near 02:00 local daylight saving time (LDST). This weekend the waxing crescent moon will set during the late evening hours allowing meteor observers to view activity without lunar interference during the more active morning hours.
During this period the moon reaches its new phase on Tuesday March 24th. At this time the moon lies near the sun and will be invisible at night. This is the best time of the month to view meteor activity as there will be no lunar interference.
During this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Monday March 16th. At this time the moon lies 90 degrees west of the sun and will rise near 02:00 local daylight saving time (LDST). This weekend the moon will interfere greatly with viewing meteor activity during the active morning hours. As the week progresses the moon will become less of a factor and successful meteor observing can be undertaken if the moon is kept well out of one’s field of view.
During this period the moon reaches its full phase on Monday March 9th. At this time the moon is positioned opposite the sun and will lie above the horizon all night long. Successful meteor observing can be attempted this weekend during the short period between moon set and dawn. The remainder of the week the moon will interfere with meteor observing all night long.
Annie MacDonald was attempting to photograph aurora from Culduie, Scotland, on February 17, 2020, when a bright meteor streaked though…
Nearly 50 reports so far The AMS received nearly 50 reports so far about a fireball event that occurred over…
Gideon Holtz captured this brilliant fireball on February 16, 2020 at 20:31 MST (03:31 Universal Time February 16) from Seligman,…
During this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Saturday February 15th. At this time the moon will lie 90 degrees west of the sun and will rise near 01:00 local standard time (LST). These conditions are fine for the slow evening hours when the moon lies below the horizon. The more active morning hours will have interference from the moon but one can still obtain useful data as long you face away from the lunar glare. As the week progresses the waning crescent moon will rise later in the morning, allowing less interference during these more active hours.
During this period the moon reaches its full phase on Sunday February 9th. At this time the moon will lie opposite the sun and will lie above the horizon all night long. As the week progresses the waning gibbous moon will rise later in the evening, allowing dark skies for a few hours during the early evening hours. Unfortunately this is the worst time to view meteor activity as rates are only 1-2 per hour at best.
During this period the moon reaches its first quarter phase on Sunday February 2nd. At this time the moon will lie 90 degrees east of the sun and will set between midnight and 01:00 local standard time (LST). As the week progresses the waxing gibbous moon will enter the morning sky, shrinking the window of opportunity to view meteor activity under dark skies.
A space debris reentry occurred over SoCal on Jan. 29th (PST - Jan 30 UT). This event has been reported by at least 60 witnesses and it has been caught on a AllSky6 camera by one of our operator
During this period the moon waxes from new to nearly half-illuminated. This weekend the moon will lie near the sun and will be invisible at night. As the week progresses the waxing crescent moon will enter the evening sky but set long before the more active morning hours arrive.
185 reports so far (and many videos) about this 100t TNT event seen from Cyprus, Lebanon and Israel.
During this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Saturday January 18th. At this time the half illuminated moon will rise near 0100 local standard time (LST) and will remain in the sky the remainder of the night. Useful meteor observations are possible at this time as long as the bright moon is kept out of your field of view. Lunar conditions will improve with each passing night as the moon wanes and rises later in the morning.
Our favorite artist Michel Deconinck shares his impression of the 2020 Quadrantid meteor shower as seen on the morning of…
So far, two 55g meteorites have been recovered from a fall that happened over Italy on January, 1st. This fall has been caught on video by the French/Italian fireball camera network Vigie-Ciel/FRIPON & PRISMA.
During this period the moon waxes from a half-illuminated phase to nearly full. This weekend the waxing gibbous moon will set during the early morning, allowing a few hours of viewing under dark skies.
The Quadrantids can be one of the strongest displays of the year, yet they are difficult to observe. The main factor is that the display of strong activity only has a duration of about 6 hours. The reason the peak is so short is due to the shower's thin stream of particles and the fact that the Earth crosses the stream at a perpendicular angle.
American Meteor Society