VIII. Observing a Meteor Shower.

In order to observe a meteor shower you must go to a dark site (e.g. Monti Cristo, the Golden Spike National Monument, etc.). You must also choose a time and date that coincides with both a new Moon and the peak time for the meteor shower. The Moon must be between old thin crescent Moon (visible just before sunrise) and first quarter. Many calendars will have this information shown on them. Check with your instructor before you attempt this project to make sure your times are correct. The table below shows those meteor shows that occur during academic terms.

This project is easiest if you work in pairs – one to observe and one to record. You should switch roles during your observations.

1. Choose a meteor shower to observe and prepare ahead of time by making a star chart of the constellation (and those that surround it) from which the meteors will radiate. (The location of the radiant is based on the name of the shower, i.e. the Orionids radiate from the constellation of Orion.) The star maps in the back of your textbook should be useful for making the sketch. Even better would be to buy a Star and Planet Locator from a bookstore, or ask the instructor for further advice.
2. Go to your dark location far from city lights. Start your observations when the sky is dark with no light from the Moon. The best time to observe a meteor shower is very late at night – after midnight is optimal. You will need to observe for at least two hours, four or more is best. Dress warmly and bring something comfortable to lie down on! The observer will watch for meteors and the recorder will record the time of each meteor and draw the path of each meteor through the sky on the star chart. The red flashlight described on the first page is essential for this job since you don’t want to lose your night vision!
3. Divide the total number of meteors you observed by your total observing time in hours to find the number of meteors observed per hour. Also, trace backwards all the meteor paths on your drawing to determine the location of the radiant point.