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It was time to mark a 2020 tripping calendar with astronomical events, mostly peak meteor shower dates. The Lyrids, Leonids and Geminids all peak when the moon is less than 5% full this year.
The yellow highlighter streaks on the appropriate calendar dates catch my eye, but for more complete reference I print out a paper copy of the below and keep it in my tripping journal.
Quadrantids
Next period of activity: December 27th to January 10th, 2020
The Quadrantids have the potential to be the strongest shower of the year but usually fall short due to the short length of maximum activity (6 hours). The average hourly rates one can expect under dark skies is 25. These meteors usually lack persistent trains but often produce bright fireballs. Due to the high northerly declination (celestial latitude) these meteors are not well seen from the southern hemisphere.
The Quadrantids will peak on the Jan 3-4, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 58% full.
Lyrids
Next period of activity: April 16th, 2020 to April 28th, 2020
The Lyrids are a medium strength shower that usually produces good rates for three nights centered on the maximum. These meteors also usually lack persistent trains but can produce fireballs. These meteors are best seen from the northern hemisphere where the radiant is high in the sky at dawn.
Next Peak - The Lyrids will next peak on the Apr 21-22, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 1% full.
eta Aquariids
April 19th, 2020 to May 28th, 2020
From the equator northward, they usually only produce medium rates of 10-30 per hour just before dawn. Activity is good for a week centered the night of maximum activity. These are swift meteors that produce a high percentage of persistent trains, but few fireballs.
Next Peak - The eta Aquariids will next peak on the May 6-7, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 100% full.
Southern delta Aquariids
July 12th, 2020 to August 23rd, 2020
North of the equator the radiant is located lower in the southern sky and therefore rates are less than seen from further south. These meteors produce good rates for a week centered on the night of maximum. These are usually faint meteors that lack both persistent trains and fireballs.
Next Peak - The Southern delta Aquariids will next peak on the Jul 29-30, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 77% full.
alpha Capricornids
July 3rd, 2020 to August 15th, 2020
The Alpha Capricornids are active from July 3 through August 15 with a "plateau-like" maximum centered on July 30. This shower is not very strong and rarely produces in excess of five shower members per hour. What is notable about this shower is the number of bright fireballs produced during its activity period.
Next Peak - The alpha Capricornids will next peak on the Jul 29-30, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 77% full.
Perseids
July 17th, 2020 to August 26th, 2020
The Perseids are active from July 17 to August 24. They reach a strong maximum on August 12 or 13, depending on the year. Normal rates seen from rural locations range from 50-75 shower members per hour at maximum.
Next Peak - The Perseids will next peak on the Aug 11-12, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 47% full.
Southern Taurids
September 10th, 2020 to November 20th, 2020
The Southern Taurids are a long-lasting shower that reaches a barely noticeable maximum on October 9 or 10. The shower is active for more than two months but rarely produces more than five shower members per hour, even at maximum activity. The Taurids (both branches) are rich in fireballs and are often responsible for increased number of fireball reports from September through November.
Next Peak - The Southern Taurids will next peak on the Oct 9-10, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 50% full.
Orionids
October 2nd, 2020 to November 7th, 2020
The Orionids are a medium strength shower that sometimes reaches high strength activity. In a normal year the Orionids produce 10-20 shower members at maximum. In exceptional years, such as 2006-2009, the peak rates were on par with the Perseids (50-75 per hour). Recent displays have produced low to average displays of this shower.
Next Peak - The Orionids will next peak on the Oct 21-22, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 34% full.
Northern Taurids
October 20th, 2020 to December 10th, 2020
This shower is much like the Southern Taurids, just active a bit later in the year. When the two showers are active simultaneously in late October and early November, there is sometimes an notable increase in the fireball activity. There seems to be a seven year periodicity with these fireballs. 2008 and 2015 both produced remarkable fireball activity.
Next Peak - The Northern Taurids will next peak on the Nov 11-12, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 15% full.
Leonids
November 6th, 2020 to November 30th, 2020
The Leonids are best known for producing meteor storms in the years of 1833, 1866, 1966, 1999, and 2001. Unfortunately it appears that the earth will not encounter any dense clouds of debris until 2099. The best we can hope for now until the year 2030 is peaks of around 15 shower members per hour and perhaps an occasional weak outburst when the earth passes near a debris trail. The Leonids are often bright meteors with a high percentage of persistent trains.
Next Peak - The Leonids will next peak on the Nov 16-17, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 5% full.
Geminids
December 4th, 2020 to December 17th, 2020
The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year. This is the one major shower that provides good activity prior to midnight as the constellation of Gemini is well placed from 22:00 onward. The Geminids are often bright and intensely colored. Due to their medium-slow velocity, persistent trains are not usually seen.
Next Peak - The Geminids will next peak on the Dec 13-14, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 1% full.
Ursids
December 17th, 2020 to December 26th, 2020
Observers will normally see 5-10 Ursids per hour during the late morning hours on the date of maximum activity. There have been occasional outbursts when rates have exceeded 25 per hour.
Next Peak - The Ursids will next peak on the Dec 22-23, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 59% full.
Note: There will be Penumbral Lunar Eclipses visible from most of North America on July 5th and November 30[SUP]th[/SUP].
The yellow highlighter streaks on the appropriate calendar dates catch my eye, but for more complete reference I print out a paper copy of the below and keep it in my tripping journal.
Quadrantids
Next period of activity: December 27th to January 10th, 2020
The Quadrantids have the potential to be the strongest shower of the year but usually fall short due to the short length of maximum activity (6 hours). The average hourly rates one can expect under dark skies is 25. These meteors usually lack persistent trains but often produce bright fireballs. Due to the high northerly declination (celestial latitude) these meteors are not well seen from the southern hemisphere.
The Quadrantids will peak on the Jan 3-4, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 58% full.
Lyrids
Next period of activity: April 16th, 2020 to April 28th, 2020
The Lyrids are a medium strength shower that usually produces good rates for three nights centered on the maximum. These meteors also usually lack persistent trains but can produce fireballs. These meteors are best seen from the northern hemisphere where the radiant is high in the sky at dawn.
Next Peak - The Lyrids will next peak on the Apr 21-22, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 1% full.
eta Aquariids
April 19th, 2020 to May 28th, 2020
From the equator northward, they usually only produce medium rates of 10-30 per hour just before dawn. Activity is good for a week centered the night of maximum activity. These are swift meteors that produce a high percentage of persistent trains, but few fireballs.
Next Peak - The eta Aquariids will next peak on the May 6-7, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 100% full.
Southern delta Aquariids
July 12th, 2020 to August 23rd, 2020
North of the equator the radiant is located lower in the southern sky and therefore rates are less than seen from further south. These meteors produce good rates for a week centered on the night of maximum. These are usually faint meteors that lack both persistent trains and fireballs.
Next Peak - The Southern delta Aquariids will next peak on the Jul 29-30, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 77% full.
alpha Capricornids
July 3rd, 2020 to August 15th, 2020
The Alpha Capricornids are active from July 3 through August 15 with a "plateau-like" maximum centered on July 30. This shower is not very strong and rarely produces in excess of five shower members per hour. What is notable about this shower is the number of bright fireballs produced during its activity period.
Next Peak - The alpha Capricornids will next peak on the Jul 29-30, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 77% full.
Perseids
July 17th, 2020 to August 26th, 2020
The Perseids are active from July 17 to August 24. They reach a strong maximum on August 12 or 13, depending on the year. Normal rates seen from rural locations range from 50-75 shower members per hour at maximum.
Next Peak - The Perseids will next peak on the Aug 11-12, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 47% full.
Southern Taurids
September 10th, 2020 to November 20th, 2020
The Southern Taurids are a long-lasting shower that reaches a barely noticeable maximum on October 9 or 10. The shower is active for more than two months but rarely produces more than five shower members per hour, even at maximum activity. The Taurids (both branches) are rich in fireballs and are often responsible for increased number of fireball reports from September through November.
Next Peak - The Southern Taurids will next peak on the Oct 9-10, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 50% full.
Orionids
October 2nd, 2020 to November 7th, 2020
The Orionids are a medium strength shower that sometimes reaches high strength activity. In a normal year the Orionids produce 10-20 shower members at maximum. In exceptional years, such as 2006-2009, the peak rates were on par with the Perseids (50-75 per hour). Recent displays have produced low to average displays of this shower.
Next Peak - The Orionids will next peak on the Oct 21-22, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 34% full.
Northern Taurids
October 20th, 2020 to December 10th, 2020
This shower is much like the Southern Taurids, just active a bit later in the year. When the two showers are active simultaneously in late October and early November, there is sometimes an notable increase in the fireball activity. There seems to be a seven year periodicity with these fireballs. 2008 and 2015 both produced remarkable fireball activity.
Next Peak - The Northern Taurids will next peak on the Nov 11-12, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 15% full.
Leonids
November 6th, 2020 to November 30th, 2020
The Leonids are best known for producing meteor storms in the years of 1833, 1866, 1966, 1999, and 2001. Unfortunately it appears that the earth will not encounter any dense clouds of debris until 2099. The best we can hope for now until the year 2030 is peaks of around 15 shower members per hour and perhaps an occasional weak outburst when the earth passes near a debris trail. The Leonids are often bright meteors with a high percentage of persistent trains.
Next Peak - The Leonids will next peak on the Nov 16-17, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 5% full.
Geminids
December 4th, 2020 to December 17th, 2020
The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year. This is the one major shower that provides good activity prior to midnight as the constellation of Gemini is well placed from 22:00 onward. The Geminids are often bright and intensely colored. Due to their medium-slow velocity, persistent trains are not usually seen.
Next Peak - The Geminids will next peak on the Dec 13-14, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 1% full.
Ursids
December 17th, 2020 to December 26th, 2020
Observers will normally see 5-10 Ursids per hour during the late morning hours on the date of maximum activity. There have been occasional outbursts when rates have exceeded 25 per hour.
Next Peak - The Ursids will next peak on the Dec 22-23, 2020 night. On this night, the moon will be 59% full.
Note: There will be Penumbral Lunar Eclipses visible from most of North America on July 5th and November 30[SUP]th[/SUP].
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