Shooting stars and meteors

[ChrisThePuma]

Hi

Sorry for the noob question - but is there a more common direction these come from? i.e which direction is it best to look (apart from up obviously) to most likely see them? Or is it equally distributed about the compass points?

thanks

chris

[JamesF]

One might assume, I guess, that they'd tend to travel east to west as the Earth turned into the debris that causes them, but I've not really noticed that to any degree.

In fact, major meteor showers are known by the place in the sky from which they appear to originate (the "radiant point"), so the one we're just entering now is known as the Persieids because they generally appear to originate from the area of the constellation Perseus. There are Leonids, Orionids, Lyrids, Geminids, Draconids and quite a few more.

James

[Alan_B]

There is an app for android (maybe iphone as well - not sure) called "Meteor Shower" that gives you reminders for upcoming showers and will also locate the direction to look in . you will need to have Skyeye or Google Sky Map installed for this function to work.

[coxy322]

I have been out until very late every night this week. Only looking up to watch for shooting stars etc for brief 10/15 mins at a time and I have been seeing small ones going in all directions and also larger ones (very infrequently) also doing the same. I am only looking east though... no vis to the west.

Will be in Greece as we approach the peak of the Persieds, am away from light pollution too - so annoying I cannot take my scope! :-(

[LukeSkywatcher]

In my experience, most of the major showers of the year eminate from the general direction of the north east. I guess this is because the constellation they are linked to rise in that direction.

The Perseids (happening about the 10-12th Aug) are perhaps the best known meteors and most years put on a great show. The Radiant of these will be to the NE in the constellation of Perseus (just below the furthest left star in the constellation of Cassiopia).

Personally my favourite meteor shower is the Geminids (from the constellation of Gemini) in early December.