Mid-December Meteor Shower

Did you take some time to observe the total lunar eclipse last month? About 125 folks braved unseasonably cold weather to watch the Moon slide in and out of the Earth's shadow from Seagrave Observatory. The clear skies provided everyone with a spectacular view.

As I predicted, the Moon never completely disappeared from view. It hung there in the sky, a bright bottom edge that slowly moved around the lunar profile as the eclipse progressed. The rest of the surface took on a coppery hue as seen through a telescope or binoculars, but looked more red to the naked-eye. Though totality lasted only 25 minutes, everyone thought it was magnificently beautiful. Some folks commented that it looked like a painting from a 1950's sci-fi magazine.

This total lunar eclipse was the second such event during 2003, and it was also the second one not spoiled by inclement weather. Combine that with the two to three months of decent Mars observing we experienced at Seagrave Observatory and I'd say 2003 turned in a "stellar" performance for amateur astronomers in southern New England.

As I write this column just prior to the November Leonids meteor display, I can only hope they too were seen to good advantage, though they were only expected to be back to the normal peak rate of maybe 30 per hour with no major storms predicted. Let's hope the last remaining meteor shower of the year occurs under clear sky conditions as well.

That last meteor shower of 2003 is the Geminids of December, now undeniably the most reliable meteor shower of the year. This year the peak is on the night of December 13-14, Saturday night to Sunday morning. Unfortunately a waning gibbous Moon (between Full Moon and last quarter) will be prominent in the sky during the peak of activity from midnight until dawn's early light. This unfortunate circumstance will certainly reduce the number of meteors that can be observed. Under moon-free skies this shower produces about 75 shooting stars per hour in a light pollution-free location. With the interfering moonlight this year, maybe 30 to 40 of the brighter members of the shower can be observed blazing across the heavens.

The Geminid shower now sports two different peaks about six hours apart. An observer may therefore possibly see several increases and decreases in the number of meteors during the course of the night. Whether or not we see both those peaks entirely depends upon the time the Earth intercepts the meteor stream and its tributaries.

To maximize your chances of seeing the shower to best advantage, you should dress warmly and position yourself in an environment well away from annoying outdoor lighting of any kind. Some folks may think you're crazy, but you can still use a lawn chair or chaise lounge from which to observe comfortably. With the bright moon a hindrance to meteor observing, simply screen it from view using a building. You will certainly block some are of sky as well, but it would be best not to be distracted by direct moonlight.

By maximizing your opportunities, that is choosing a dark-sky observing site, blocking the moon from view and staying awake, you should expect to observe 30 to 40 Geminid meteors per hour. The Geminids are characterized by their multi-colored display (65% being white, 26% yellow, and the remaining 9% blue, red and green).

Because the stream of particles intercepts the Earth's orbit at a right angle, the meteors hit our atmosphere at a moderate speed of 21.75 miles per second. They are fairly bright and also have a reputation for producing exploding meteors called fireballs. The Geminids are the most dependable display because they are an old shower and therefore the individual meteors are evenly distributed throughout the meteor stream. Good luck and stay warm and alert.

In conclusion, it doesn't seem possible, but the Winter Solstice occurs at 2:04 am on December 22. Where did 2003 go? Once again the Farmer's Almanac predicts a bad winter for southern New England. Last winter I received about 100 inches of snow in Burrillville. More of the same is expected this year. Thank goodness for snow blowers!

Let's just hope that Mother Nature doesn't surprise us with an early snowfall this year so we can observe the December Geminids on the night of December 13-14 without having to dig out a spot to place our chaise lounge!