“Space, The Final Frontier”
Meteor Showers 2017 Schedule & Guide
(ripped and edited, posted on December 13, 2016)
The Ursids meteor shower peaks on Thursday, December 22, and will produce about five to 10 meteors an hour. The meteor shower runs from December 17-25, 2016.
2017 Meteor Shower Guide
January 3-4 Quadrantids meteor shower will produce 40 shooting stars an hour at its peak. Believed to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, runs annually from January 1-5. Best viewing times are shortly after midnight. Meteors radiate from the constellation Bootes, but visible from anywhere in the sky.
April 22-23 Lyrids meteor shower is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thrasher. Discovered in 1861, the Lyrids is an average meteor shower producing about 20 meteors an hour. It originates from the constellation Lyra, but visible from anywhere in the sky. The crescent moon shouldn’t cause too much of a problem during the shower’s peak. The best viewing time for this shower is after midnight.
May 6-7 Eta Aquarids meteor shower favors the Southern Hemisphere. About 60 shooting stars an hour will be visible there and the Northern Hemisphere could see 30 an hour. The shower runs from April 19-May 28, but peaks on the night of May 6 and morning of May 7. A waxing gibbous moon could block out the most distant meteors but you should still be able to see the brighter ones. Meteors in this shower radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but will be visible anywhere in the sky.
July 28-29 Delta Aquarids meteor shower: Radiating from the constellation Aquarius but visible anywhere from the sky, this meteor shower produces about 20 meteors an hour at its peak. It runs from July 12-August 13. A crescent moon will have set by midnight, leaving dark skies for the early morning show.
August 12-13 Perseids meteor shower is produced by the comet Swift-Tuttle and it usually produces about 60 meteors per hour. The Perseids are known for producing a large number of blazing bright meteors. The shower runs from July 17-August 24, overlapping some with the Delta Aquarids. It is best seen late at night or in the early morning of the peak dates of August 12-13. There’s a waning gibbous moon that could block out the fainter meteors, but the Perseids are so bright that you should still plan on catching the show. The meteors radiate from the constellation Perseus, but will be visible anywhere in the sky.
October 7 Draconids meteor shower is produced by the dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner. Discovered in 1900, the Draconids radiate from the constellation Draco, but are visible anywhere in the sky. This show produces only about 10 meteors an hour unless “Draco the Dragon breathes fire” (in rare instances Draco can fire off hundreds of meteors in a single hour). The nearly full moon will block all but the brightest meteors, and unlike other meteor showers, the best viewing time is in the early evening. The Draconids shower runs from October 6-10 and peaks on October 7.
October 21-22 Orionids meteor shower runs annually from October 2-November 7 and peaks the nights of October 21 & 22. It produces about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. Produced by dust grains left behind from the ancient comet Halley and it originates from the constellation Orion, but visible anywhere in the sky. A crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving dark skies ideal for viewing. The best time to watch is after midnight.
November 4-5 Taurids meteor shower is long-running from September 7-December 10, and there are two parts: the South Taurids which peak November 4-5 and the North Taurids which peak November 11-12. The North Taurids originate from dust grains left behind by the Asteroid 2004 TG10. The South Taurids are the result of debris from Comet EP Encke. A full moon on November 4 will ruin the show and by November 11-12 viewing conditions will improve. These slow-moving meteors radiate from the constellation Taurus, but are visible anywhere in the sky.
November 17-18 Leonids meteor shower runs annually from November 6-30. It will only produce about 15 meteors an hour at its peak on the night of November 17 and morning of November 18, but every 33 years it has a cyclonic peak that results in hundreds of meteors an hour. The last time this happened was in 2001 so it won’t happen again until 2034. Produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle and discovered in 1865, the meteors radiate from the constellation Leo and are visible anywhere in the sky. There’s a new moon and skies should be dark enough for a good show. The best time to watch is after midnight.
December 13-14 Geminids meteor shower will outshine the Perseids. Running annually from December 7-17, it peaks the night of December 13 and morning of December 14, when it could produce up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour! Produced by debris dust from the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, it was discovered in 1982. A waning crescent moon should allow for an excellent show. The best time to watch is after midnight. The shooting stars radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
December 21-22 Ursids meteor shower is produced by dust grains from the comet Tuttle. Discovered in 1790, this shower runs annually from December 17-25 and peaks on the night of December 21. It’s a minor shower producing about 5-10 shooting stars an hour. The crescent moon will set early leaving dark skies. The best time to watch is just after midnight. Meteors radiating from the constellation Ursa Minor are visible anywhere in the sky.
“Don’t you know that you are a shooting star
And all the world will love you just as long, as long as you are?”
~ Bad Company “Shooting Star”
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UPDATED 12-26-16:
2017 FULL MOONS & OTHER CELESTIAL EVENTS
January 12 Full Moon (the “Wolf Moon”, “Old Moon” or “Moon After Yule”)
February 11 Full Moon (the “Snow Moon” or “Hunger Moon”)
March 12 Full Moon (the “Worm Moon”, “Crow Moon”, “Crust Moon” or “Sap Moon”)
March 20 Spring Equinox
April 11 Full Moon (the “Pink Moon”, “Growing Moon” or “Egg Moon”)
May 10 Full Moon (the “Flower Moon”, “Corn Planting Moon” or “Milk Moon”)
June 9 Full Moon (the “Strawberry Moon”, “Rose Moon” or “Honey Moon”)
June 21 Summer Solstice
July 9 Full Moon (the “Buck Moon”, “Thunder Moon” or “Hay Moon”)
August 7 Full Moon (the “Sturgeon Moon”, “Green Corn Moon” or “Grain Moon”)
Partial Lunar Eclipse (visible in east Africa, central Asia, the Indian Ocean & Australia)
August 21 Total Solar Eclipse First total solar eclipse of the 21st century for the United States, the first visible in the continental US since February 26, 1979 and there won’t be another until 2024! Total eclipse will be visible in parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina – rest of the US will see a partial eclipse
September 6 Full Moon (the “Corn Moon” or “Harvest Moon”)
September 22 Autumnal Equinox
October 5 Full Moon (the “Hunter’s Moon”, “Travel Moon” or “Blood Moon”)
November 4 Full Moon (the “Beaver Moon” or “Frosty Moon”)
November 13 Conjunction of Venus & Jupiter
December 3 Full Moon – Supermoon (the “Cold Moon”)
December 21 Winter Solstice
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