American Meteor Society
Meteor Radiants at 7pm
Meteor Radiants at Midnight
Meteor Radiants at 5am
During this period the moon reaches its full phase on Wednesday November 28th. At this time the moon is located opposite the sun and will remain in the sky all night long. This weekend the waxing gibbous moon will set during the early morning hours and will allow a couple of hours between moon set and morning twilight to view the meteor activity under good conditions. The estimated total hourly meteor rates for evening observers this week is near three for observers located at mid-northern latitudes and two for observers in mid-southern latitudes. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near eighteen from the mid-northern hemisphere and ten from the mid-southern hemisphere. 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 during this period due to moonlight.
The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates 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. Viewing there 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 following radiants are expected to be active this week:
Remnants from the famous Andromedid (AND) shower, noted for intense storms during the 19th century, may still be seen throughout November. The current position of this large radiant is 01:38 (024) +41. This position lies in eastern Andromeda, close to the position occupied by the faint stat known as Upsilon Andromedae. The radiant is so diffuse that Andromedid meteors may be seen coming from Triangulum, northern Pisces, as well as Andromeda. Visual activity is expected to be low, but detectable. An inconspicuous maximum occurred on November 9, when this source was the 5th most active radiant in the sky. The Andromedid meteors are best seen near 2200 (10pm) local standard time (LST), when the radiant lies on the meridian and lies highest in the sky. At 19km/sec., the average Andromedid will appear as a very slow moving meteor.
Studies of the IMO video database by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel has revealed another active radiant in Taurus this time of year. Now that the Southern Taurids are no longer detectable, the Gamma Taurids (GTA) may be distinguished within the Taurid complex. The Gamma Taurid radiant is centered at 04:22 (065) +15. This area of the sky lies in western Taurus, three degrees southwest of the orange first magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri). The radiant is best placed near 0100 LST, when it lies highest above the horizon. Maximum activity occurred on November 10th so current rates would be near one shower member per hour, no matter your location. Meteors from the Gamma Taurids strike the atmosphere at 27km/sec., which would produce meteors of slow velocity.
The Northern Taurids (NTA) are active from a radiant centered at 04:40 (070) +25. This area of the sky lies in northern Taurus, nine degrees north of the orange first magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri). The radiant is best placed near 0100 LST, when it lies highest above the horizon. Maximum activity occurred on November 13th so current hourly rates would be near two from the northern hemisphere and one from south of the equator. Meteors from the Northern Taurids strike the atmosphere at 29km/sec., which would produce meteors of slow velocity.
The November Orionids (NOO) are now the most active radiant in the sky and will remain #1 throughout the remainder of November. This radiant is located at 05:50 (087) +15. This area of the sky is located on the Orion/Taurus border, eight degrees north of the first magnitude orange star Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis). The peak occurs on November 30th so current rates will be 2-3 per hour, no matter your location. If the moon lies above the horizon rates will be lower due to the lunar glare. The radiant is best placed for viewing near 0200 LST when it lies on the meridian and is highest above the horizon. With an entry velocity of 44 km/sec., the November Orionids would be of medium speed.
The Leonids (LEO) are still active from a radiant located at 10:34 (159) +20. This position lies in northwestern Leo, two degrees east of the second magnitude double star Algeiba (Gamma Leonis). Current rates should be 1-2 per hour, no matter your location. The Leonid radiant is best placed during the last hour before morning twilight when the radiant lies highest in a dark sky. Leonids may be seen from the southern hemisphere but the viewing conditions are not quite as favorable as those north of the equator.
Studies of the IMO video database by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel has revealed an active radiant in Draco this time of year. The November Iota Draconids (NID) radiant is located at 12:44 (191) +68. This area of the sky lies in western Draco, two degrees southeast of the fourth magnitude star Kappa Draconis. The radiant is best placed near 0100 LST, when it lies highest above the horizon. Maximum activity occurs on November 26th so current rates would be less than one shower member per hour, no matter your location. Due to the high northerly declination of the radiant these meteors are not visible from most of the southern hemisphere. Only southern equatorial regions would have any chance of seeing activity from this source Meteors from the November Iota Draconids strike the atmosphere at 43km/sec., which would produce meteors of medium velocity.
As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately ten sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near three per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near five per hour as seen from rural observing sites and two per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures. Evening rates are reduced due to moonlight.
The table below presents a condensed version of the expected activity this week. Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning .
| SHOWER | DATE OF MAXIMUM ACTIVITY | CELESTIAL POSITION | ENTRY VELOCITY | CULMINATION | HOURLY RATE | CLASS |
| RA (RA in Deg.) DEC | Km/Sec | Local Standard Time | North-South | |||
| Andromedids (AND) | Nov 09 | 01:38 (024) +41 | 19 | 22:00 | <1 – <1 | III |
| Gamma Taurids (STA) | Nov 10 | 04:22 (065) +15 | 27 | 01:00 | 1 – 1 | IV |
| Northern Taurids (NTA) | Nov 13 | 04:40 (070) +25 | 29 | 01:00 | 2 – 1 | II |
| November Orionids (NOO) | Nov 30 | 05:50 (087) +15 | 44 | 02:00 | 3 – 2 | II |
| Leonids (LEO) | Nov 18 | 10:34 (159) +20 | 71 | 06:00 | 2 – 1 | III |
| Nov. Iota Draconids (NID) | Nov 26 | 12:44 (191) +68 | 43 | 08:00 | <1 – <1 | IV |
I search the web to see if anyone else saw what I had seen november 24th around 9:30 pm. I saw a large fire ball thought it was going to hit our house at first. It lit up the sky and looked as if it may of hit east of Lago Vista, Texas. Sounds crazy I called my wife to tell her about it, she wasn’t home. It was the most fantastic thing I have ever witnessed in my 52 years. It lasted a good 5-10 seconds
I also say this magniciant fireball.
I have nevere seen anything like it ever.
I live just north of Reno Nevada.
At Aboiut 0130am Eastern local time while at my midnight to 0800am shift I too witnessed my first fireball absolutely incredible and a most beautiful sight, truly amazing and the funny thing is I was driving outside south bound on a taxiway at the Airport in Homestead Florida where i work and i usually tune into the coast to coast am radio show even though I don’t believe in all the stuff they talk about like ufo’s for instance, ha ha, and i’m sitting here in my work truck watching this thing trying to tell myself ok it’s not a drone, not a rocket? what in the world am I witnessing?, truly a beautiful celestial phenomenon of some sort, of G-D’S awesome creation, it was parallel with the horizon, maybe half way up and going from south to north, with a whooshing or flaming type sound and lasted a good while 5-10 maybe more and then slowly just faded out of flame, and if you were looking out your driver’s side window like a rubber neck at a traffic accident, ha ha, from front to back and then it was over, wow then i was blessed to still see two really small blue (albeit of a short duration) meteors? near the moon which was almost full and super bright as well but what a great night, and then to go to church in the morning having that experience was awesome!! I’m not Jewish but they have prayer’s of blessings for everything all things and events of profound nature this was one of those awesome events!! yeah and I also thought man people are going to think I’m nuts so i called my son immediately afterwards to report it then looked up sites and fortunately found this one, thanks for your work guys G-D bless you all.Keep looking up!! wish i had had a camera or video recording device of some sort.
I saw it too, I think, I saw going south on sawgrass expway @ past 1am, the one I saw was huge, enough to be scared, my gf saw it too, it started with a long orange trail, that sparked a lot, in front the huge fireball… We saw it over ft lauderdale, coming fast parallel to us. Then it went off…. BUT we keep looking and saw the actual rock flying, you could see the shadow against the bright sky and some incandescent scars on it! For the distance and altitude I can only guess it was HUGE bigger than a car… Unfortunally the iPhone couldn’t take a good video of it…
25NOV2012; 4:45pm PT, facing West from Alameda, CA, @ sunset, a bright spot in sky to the right of sunset, got bigger, until huge, & a growing bright tail. Got Binoculars & watched fiery tail grow as fireball (meteor) traveled at 45 degree angle toward north east, wondering if it would hit California, could not hit ocean at this point. It went down behind hill & clouds. Watched for a total of 10-15minutes. Felt blessed to have caught sighting at 1st entry of atmosphere & be able to view with binoculars for such a long period of time. Thought it could have been a satellite,but it was way too big. Thank you God for this marvelous sight. Never did hear any reports of it causing damage or anything. Wish someone else could report on outcome of this event.
Joan,
Meteors do not last 10-15 minutes. This was most likely a aircraft contrail that was distant and therefore slow moving. A great many of the fireball photographs I receive are actually contrails.
I hope this helps.
Robert Lunsford
American Meteor Society
I saw a fireball, or meteor on november 25th 2012 in Lehigh Acres Florida. It was at about 5:45 pm and it was INCREDIBLE! I have never seen anything like it and have been searching the internet to see if I was the only one! It started out as a large red ball of fire and by the time I called my sister to tell her to go outside, it seperated into two smaller pieces. I am regreful that I didn’t take a picture because I have never seen anything like it!
*Report*
Massive Fireball/Shooting Star seen over Hudson Massachusetts, driving home from work. Seen around 11:40 PM. I had never seen anything so bright and so big moving so fast. Just caught in the the corner of my eye, thank God my situational awareness is very honed. Flew right over my house moving at an astonishing speed.
Saw a meteor over Topsfield/Georgetown Massachusetts at around 11:40pm last night. Bright white, long tail, very fast and seemed to dissipate very low in the sky. It was amazing.
I saw a blue fireball coming across the sky in Thornton, NH last night at about 11:30pm on 11/28/12. It looked to be coming down right next to us (we were in the car); however, my daughter also saw the same thing about 20 miles away. Did anyone else see this? We are assuming it was a meteor.
Tuesday night Nov 27th at around 8 pm I saw what I would assume was a fireball in the foothills of Yuma. It looked quite low (around 100 ft) travelling parallel overhead heading north. It was not very big. Did anyone else see it?