This post discusses the expected meteor activity and lunar conditions for the upcoming week. It is focused on North American latitudes but may be used in all locations. Sky charts displaying current radiant positions are provided for early evening hours, mid-night, and the hour prior to dawn. European readers may wish to use the charts in the same article at www.imo.net for better accuracy.

To access the meteor activity outlook, click on: Meteor Activity Outlook for Sept 14-20, 2024

We welcome hourly reports on meteor activity at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Reports of individual fireballs should be filled out at: https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo/report_intro/

Meteor Activity Outlooks for observers in the southern hemisphere are available upon request at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Clear Skies!

Robert Lunsford

ALPO Meteors Section Coordinator

This post discusses the expected meteor activity and lunar conditions for the upcoming week. It is focused on North American latitudes but may be used in all locations. Sky charts displaying current radiant positions are provided for early evening hours, mid-night, and the hour prior to dawn. European readers may wish to use the charts in the same article at www.imo.net for better accuracy.

To access the meteor activity outlook, click on: Meteor Activity Outlook for Sept 7-13, 2024

We welcome hourly reports on meteor activity at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Reports of individual fireballs should be filled out at: https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo/report_intro/

Meteor Activity Outlooks for observers in the southern hemisphere are available upon request at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Clear Skies!

Robert Lunsford

ALPO Meteors Section Coordinator

This post discusses the expected meteor activity and lunar conditions for the upcoming week. It is focused on North American latitudes but may be used in all locations. Sky charts displaying current radiant positions are provided for early evening hours, mid-night, and the hour prior to dawn. European readers may wish to use the charts in the same article at www.imo.net for better accuracy.

To access the meteor activity outlook, click on: Meteor Activity Outlook for August 31 - Sept 6, 2024

We welcome hourly reports on meteor activity at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Reports of individual fireballs should be filled out at: https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo/report_intro/

Meteor Activity Outlooks for observers in the southern hemisphere are available upon request at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Clear Skies!

Robert Lunsford

ALPO Meteors Section Coordinator

This post discusses the expected meteor activity and lunar conditions for the upcoming week. It is focused on North American latitudes but may be used in all locations. Sky charts displaying current radiant positions are provided for early evening hours, mid-night, and the hour prior to dawn. European readers may wish to use the charts in the same article at www.imo.net for better accuracy.

To access the meteor activity outlook, click on: Meteor Activity Outlook for August 24-30, 2024

We welcome hourly reports on meteor activity at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Reports of individual fireballs should be filled out at: https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo/report_intro/

Meteor Activity Outlooks for observers in the southern hemisphere are available upon request at: lunro.imo.usa@cox.net

Clear Skies!

Robert Lunsford

ALPO Meteors Section Coordinator

Here we present the list of meteor showers expected to be active this upcoming week. Most of these showers are very weak, only producing a few meteors each night. Still, many thousands of years ago, they may have been part of a strong shower that graced the skies of our planet. Their orbit may have shifted away from the Earth or perhaps the parent comet or asteroid lost all of its interplanetary dust, depriving it of producing meteoroids that encounter the Earth. These weak showers are just strong enough to be recognized by their similar orbits and appearance during the same time each year. If you are like me, I would rather categorize each meteor I see rather than call it a random meteor. Since we know the characteristics of these weak showers, we can be on the lookout for any of their members. Still, most of the activity we see cannot be categorized as they have become dispersed through the years. No meteor is a true sporadic, but reluctantly, we must categorize any meteor not from a recognized shower as random. There are still discoveries of new showers that just now begin to encounter the Earth''s orbit. They may be the beginning of an annual shower or just a clump of inter planetary dust that encounters the Earth, not to return for many years. Video cameras make most of the discoveries these days, but they have limits that cannot match the human eye. This is why we encourage observers to monitor these showers and to expand our knowledge of them.

In these weekly meteor activity outlooks, if viewing conditions are favorable, a detailed list of active radiants is provided. For those not familiar with celestial coordinates, charts are provided for the evening skies, near midnight, and morning skies. While some radiants may appear close to each other on the charts, once under the night sky you will be able to see that they are spaced out and easy to discern from one another. These charts are exact for latitude 40 north, but are usable for most of the northern hemisphere. There are also charts available for the southern hemisphere that are available upon request.

Meteor observing is an enjoyable pastime that can be shared in groups. No instruments are necessary as your eyes are a wonderful meteor detector. Like fireworks displays, most folks just enjoy the show. But inspired observers can do real science by counting the number of meteors you see and categorizing them. It takes some practice, but in no time at all will you be able to tell a Perseid meteor from an alpha Capricornid and give its magnitude (brightness) and other parameters that interest you. If you are interested in joining us in this endeavor, contact the Meteors Section Coordinator.