The Quadrantids
December 28-January 7

The Quadrantid meteor shower will be appearing from the end of December to the 7th of January 2006 and will peak around January 3th. The closest bright star is Gamma Bootis and the ZHR is 120. The evening cresent Moon will be above the horzion in the early morning hours making the meteor shower difficult at that time. MOON RISE AT 0100 HRS

The Quadrantids emanate from the constellation of Boötes, but they get their name from a now defunct constellation called Quadrans Muralis. The Quadrantids are rich in faint meteors and are of moderate speed. The radiant never reaches a high altitude for most northern hemisphere observers and southern hemisphere observers will probably see little to no activity. The radiant location is shown in the illustration above. The Quarantids are best from about 11 p.m. until the beginning of morning twilight for observers in the Northern Hemisphere, with the radiant rising higher throughout the early morning.

The Aquarids

Eta Aquarids. The first of the year's two showers that derive from Halley's Comet, the Eta Aquarids occur from April 19 to May 28, with a peak (10 to 20 per hour) around May 6. This shower is best for observers in the Southern Hemisphere, where the hourly rate climbs to about 50. The radiant is located near the Y-shaped asterism in Aquarius and named for one of those stars. The shower was discovered in 1870 and linked to Halley in 1876. The meteors are among the fastest (42 miles [67 km] per second) and are faint on average, but the brighter ones have a yellowish color; about 30 percent leave trains. Past first quarter MOON RISE AT 0400 HRS

Meteors from these streams appear to come from the constellation Aquarius. The radiant is located in the northeastern portion of that constellation. The radiant does not attain a high altitude for Northern Hemisphere observers, but it is enough to produce a consistent show each year. Since the radiant is above the southern horizon, meteors will primarily be fanning out through all compass points between east to north to west. Although the July radiants do not individually produce strong rates, activity from the Aquarius and Capricornus regions in July and early August, as well as minor activity from other radiants, cause hourly rates to basically rise between the middle and end of July for observers in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Therefore, clear, moonless nights can be quite enjoyable for anyone observing during late July.

Southern Delta Aquarids. This is the most active of a diffuse group of streams and, as the name suggests, is best seen in the Southern Hemisphere. These meteors may be seen between July 12 and August 19 and peak (15 to 20 per hour) near July 28. The meteors are medium speed (27 miles [43 km] per second); they tend to be faint, and few leave trains. Evening cresent MOON RISE AT 0100 HRS

The Perseids
July 17-August 24

The Perseid meteor shower will be appearing in 2006 from July 17 to August 24 and will peak Aug. 12th. The ZHR this year is expected to be 110. The full Moon will set during the early evening at the Perseids peak which should provide a nice dark sky for this year's shower. MOON SETS AT 2130 HRS

Also, during an overnight watch, the Perseids are capable of producing a number of bright, flaring and fragmenting meteors, which leave fiery trails in their wake. The Perseid meteors appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus, next door to the W-shaped constellation in northern skies known as Cassiopeia's Chair. Low in the northeast during the early evening, it rises higher in the sky until morning twilight ends observing. Perseid activity increases sharply in the hours after midnight, so plan your observing times accordingly.

The Orionids
October 2-November 7

The Orionid meteor shower will be appearing in 2006 from October 2 until November 7 and will peak around October 21st. NEW MOON ENTIRE NIGHT

It’s getting cold in the northern hemisphere so wear appropriate clothing for the weather and lie outside in a reclining lawn chair. The radiant is almost equally placed above the horizon for observers in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, although in opposite parts of the sky. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is best that you lie with your feet pointing toward the south and look straight up towards the up raised arm of the giant Orion. In the Southern Hemisphere lie with your feet pointing northward and look straight up. Do not look directly at the radiant, look to the areas surrounding it for the fainter meteors that are so abundant. When you see a meteor mentally trace it backwards and if you arrive at the region just northeast of the main body of Orion outlined in the illustration above, it is probably an Orionid.

The Leonids
November 17 - 20

The Leonid meteor shower will be appearing in 2006 from November 17th to November 20th and will peak around November 19th. SMALL WANING CRESENT EACH NIGHT

The Leonid meteor shower is at its best this weekend (Nov. 17-20, 2006). Its traditional “peak” -- the time when you can expect to see the most meteors -- comes on Thursday and Friday nights. A second peak may occur on Saturday night. The Moon will be new on the 20th, so there will be no moonlight to interfere with the celestial fireworks.

The Leonids are named for the constellation Leo because they all appear to “rain” into Earth’s atmosphere from that direction. However, the meteors can streak across any portion of the sky, so you do not have to look toward Leo to see them.

The best time to look is after midnight, when your portion of Earth begins to turn most directly into the meteor “stream” -- the tiny bits of comet dust that cause the shower. They vaporize as they streak into the atmosphere, creating the bright streaks of light known as meteors or shooting stars.

The Geminids
December 7-17

The Geminid meteor shower will be appearing in 2006 from the 7 to 17 of December and will peak around the 14th of December. Their ZHR (Zenith hourly ratio) is 120 and the full Moon will rise only a few hours after the radiant make the shower difficult to see after midnight. Morning cresent MOON

To best observe the Geminids bundle up in thermal underwear because you won’t be moving around and generating any heat. For Northern Hemisphere observers, the Geminid radiant is above the horizon for nearly all hours of darkness and the optimum observing point shifts throughout the night. Early in the evening the best observing position is to point your feet between the northwest and southwest and look straight up. Late in the evening your orientation could remain unchanged, but you should shift the center of your gaze to about 45° above the horizon. By about 2:00 a.m. you can look in any direction, with your gaze centered about 45° above the horizon. By late morning, the best vantage point would be to point your feet towards the northeast or southeast. In the Southern hemisphere, the radiant stays in the northern sky. It would be best to point your feet northward and center your gaze between 45° above the horizon and straight overhead.

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