NOVAC Event Calendar

The Geminids is a perennial favorite among skywatchers. It spans from December 7th through the 17th, but will peak overnight on the 13th with up to 120 sightings per hour. The meteors will appear multicolored, which gives an added bonus to the already spectacular show. Though the moon will wash out some of the meteors, they should be bright and plentiful enough to still be very visible. These meteors will appear to originate from the Gemini constellation.

The last meteor shower of the year will span from the 17th through the 25th, though it will peak overnight on the 22nd with about 10 sightings per hour. Because the shower’s peak coincides with the new moon, it should be a great time to view the meteors and close up a fantastic year of skywatching. These meteors will appear to originate from the Ursa Minor constellation.

In 2015, the bright waxing gibbous moon will wash out but the brightest Quadrantid meteors. Some meteors will be visible each night from 1 Jan to 6 Jan, but the best show will be between midnight and dawn on January 3 and/or 4, especially if you live at a northerly latitude.

The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its maximum rate of activity. Some meteors will be visible each night from 16 Apr to 25 Apr, but the best show will be after midnight on April 22. The maximum number of meteors expected to be visible from a dark location is around 10 per hour (ZHR). The 2nd quarter moon will wash out some meteors, but the brightest ones will shine through.

This shower is composed of dusty remnants of the famed Halley’s Comet. The long-running shower is visible from April 19th until May 28, but peaks overnight on May 5th with up to 60 sightings per hour. The waning gibbous Moon (the Moon’s phase after a full Moon) will make it hard for observers to see the shower. Astronomers suggest watching the shower before dawn. Though the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, it will appear that they are coming from the Aquarius constellation.

With little or no Moon to interfere with the show, this is a GREAT year for watching the Perseid meteor shower. Hooray! These meteors are leftovers from Swift-Tuttle comet and are a favorite among many skywatchers. The shower can be visible from July 17th through August 24th, and will peak overnight on August 12th at 60 sightings per hour. The Perseids tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn.

With little or no Moon to interfere with the show, this is a GREAT year for watching the Perseid meteor shower. Hooray! These meteors are leftovers from Swift-Tuttle comet and are a favorite among many skywatchers. The shower can be visible from July 17th through August 24th, and will peak overnight on August 12th at 60 sightings per hour. The Perseids tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn.

The radiant point for the Draconid meteor shower almost coincides with the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon in the northern sky. That’s why the Draconids are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. The Draconid shower is a real oddity, in that the radiant point stands highest in the sky as darkness falls. That means that, unlike many meteor showers, more Draconids are likely to fly in the evening hours than in the morning hours after midnight. This shower is usually a sleeper, producing only a handful of languid meteors per hour in most years. But watch out if the Dragon awakes! In rare instances, fiery Draco has been known to spew forth many hundreds of meteors in a single hour. In 2015, the waning crescent moon rises at late night and will not intrude on this year’s Draconid shower. Try watching at nightfall and early evening on October 7 and 8.

This shower is made up of remnants from the famed Halley’s Comet and spans from October 2 through November 7. It will peak overnight on the 22nd with up to 20 sightings per hour. 2015 presents a fine year for watching the Orionid meteor shower. The best viewing for the Orionids in 2015 will probably be before dawn on October 22. Try the days before and after that, too, sticking to the midnight-to-dawn hours.The meteors will appear to be originating from the Orion constellation.