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Holiday Season is Meteor Shower Season

Look to the skies for some stunning light displays this November and December.

 

As you hang the Christmas lights and light the candles, cast your eyes upon the universe's natural fireworks, as well. 

Astronomers anticipate three meteor showers this November and December. 

Nov. 12: Taurid Meteor Shower

  • The Taurid meteors are expected to peak Nov. 12 in the early morning hours just after midnight. EarthSky.com reports that this slow-moving, modest shower may yield just 10 meteors per hour. "But even one bright meteor can be a treat, especially since a good percentage of the Taurid meteors tend to produce fireballs!" according to the website. The shower is visible anywhere in the world and will appear to radiate from the Pleiades star cluster.

Nov. 17: Leonid Meteor Shower

  • After years of heavier-than-average showers, the famous Leonids have returned and are expected to peak on Nov. 17 in the pre-dawn hours. These meteors are fast (about 40 miles per second) and can leave trails of smoke, according to Astronomy.com. They will appear to radiate from the constellation Leo the Lion. "Many Leonids are also bright. Usually, the meteors are white or bluish-white, but in recent years some observers reported yellow-pink and copper-colored ones," according to the website

Dec. 13: Geminid Meteor Shower

  • The last shooting star cluster before New Year's is the Geminid Meteor Shower, expected to peak in the pre-dawn hours after midnight between Dec. 13 and Dec. 15. They will be visible in all parts of the sky and streak through the sky at more than 50 meteors per hour, almost a meteor a minute, according to EarthSky.com. The new moon is expected to fall on Dec. 13, making for optimal dark skies—as long as you avoid city lights and clouds, the website states.  

Be sure to schedule a night this season to bundle up, lay out some blankets and enjoy the light show in the sky. 

Share your tips for photographing the showers. Tell us your favorite places to sneak off to view the skies. 

Related Topics: Geminid meteor shower, Holiday meteor showers, Leonid Meteor Shower, November 2012 Week In Review, and Taurid Meteor Shower

Spring Heeled Jack

2:39 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

I just saw two really bright shooting stars last night around 3am while walking my dog.

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Kathleen C. Ambrose

8:33 am on Saturday, November 10, 2012

If you can't get a good look because of City lights, here's where to go: Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg telescope. The telescope is open to the public every Friday evening, weather permitting. For more information, contact the observatory at (410)-516-6525 or visit the observatory's web site. The Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy is located at 3799 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD.

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Richard

7:09 pm on Sunday, November 11, 2012

You can not use a telescope to view a meteor shower. You want to see the whole sky. The more the better, on a hill top with no trees would be perfect. A telescope like Hopkins is nice to see individual objects like the planets or the moon. Also meteor showers are best after midnight when the Earth's rotation is into its orbit.

Kathleen C. Ambrose

5:36 am on Monday, November 12, 2012

Richard

I know, I was just promoting the Hopkins experience and didn't expect an expert to read my post. However, where in Baltimore City would you suggest sitting on a hill after midnight?

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Richard

6:57 pm on Monday, November 12, 2012

Kathleen

The only place I could think of is find someone with a boat and go out into the bay.

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Joe

8:17 pm on Monday, November 12, 2012

If you have the time, Assateague Island State Park or nearby. No lights from the south east and little from the west. and north.

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