(Goodness gracious) Great Balls of fire!

3.14159 · Joined: 12 Sep 2009

Don't know how many of you are interested but the Geminid meteor shower is due tonight.
So soon after a full moon means it's a particularly good night to view what is probably the best of the annual showers with peek flows of about 120 per hour (ie 2 decent meteors per minute).
If your in the country great, in the city, not so much but you should see at least 1 meteor every few minutes (or so).
Unfortunately the best viewing is going to be after midnight (when the Earth has turned 90 degrees to the plane of the axis) but there will be some good fireballs from about 10 p.m onwards.
I don't have a star map on me but if you can find north, look for the bottom of Orion (the top really) and then shift your gaze about 20 degrees east. That's the direction (Gemini) that the meteors will be emerging from.
If your interested, here's an article...

http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/geminids.html

David · I dare you to try Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda

Thanks for the heads up, 3. Never seen a meteor shower before! Not sure if I'll be able to see anything, but maybe a beachside suburb like Hampton will have less light pollution?

5150 · Joined: 31 Aug 2005

Thought this was going to be a split from the masturbating thread.

The way DTM is going he's generating some friction.

3.14159 · Joined: 12 Sep 2009

<<<
I have it on good authority that Dave's "How often" thread won't last more than a couple of daes.
Apparently his worn it down to a stub and it'll be a few months before a new one can grow back. Wink

~~~
Set my self up in the garden last night about 11 with a bottle of brandy and a few of my favourite cigarettes and the CD player.
Saw 3 decent bolides and lots of small streakers before I passed out.
Don't remember going to bed* but I must have at some stage because that's where I woke up.
I'd go out and have another look tonight but I don't think my liver could take it.

*I just noticed the wheel-barrow is by the front door...mystery solved.

luvdids · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Location: work

Heard on the radio this morning that tonight will be better than last night, so for those that missed it yesterday, have another look tonight. From about 10.30 look north, then NW (or was it NE?) after about 11. I'll check it out.