Meteor Activity Outlook for November 23-29, 2007

As seen from the northern hemisphere, meteor
rates continue to be strong in November. While no major showers are active this
month, the two Taurid radiants plus the Leonids keep the skies active. The addition
of strong sporadic rates make November one of the better months to view meteor
activity from north of the equator. Skies are fairly quiet as seen from the
southern hemisphere this month. Activity from the three showers mentioned above
may be seen but the sporadic rates are much lower than those seen in the northern
hemisphere.

During this period the moon reaches its full
phase on Saturday November 24. The moon will remain a major factor during this
entire period obscuring all but the brightest meteors. The sources of meteors
listed below are active during this period but will be difficult to observe this
week due to the lunar glare. If your sky is transparent and the limiting magnitude
exceeds +5.0, then you may be able to achieve some success. The estimated total hourly
rates for evening observers this week is two from the northern hemisphere
and one from south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated
total hourly rates should be near seven from the northern hemisphere and
four from the southern hemisphere. These rates assume that you are
watching from rural areas away from all sources of light pollution. The
actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion
perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching
meteor activity. Rates are reduced this week due to intense moonlight.

The radiant positions listed below are exact for Saturday
night/Sunday morning November 24/25. These positions do not change greatly day to day
so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases
(available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines
of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions
are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful
in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each
radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or
south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that
meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards
from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies
at the edge and not the center. Taking this advice this will allow you to easily trace the path
of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction
if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located
below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in
order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are
located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those
listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The full descriptions of each active meteor shower will continue next week when
the moon becomes less of a nuisance to observers.