Upcoming Meteor Showers for Fall 2009

As you plan where and when you might want to get out and shoot during the rest of 2009, consider the following meteor showers coming up:
Orionid – Oct 20-22
“October’s new Moon also perfectly favours the Orionids at their peak in 2009. The shower’s radiant, near the celestial equator, is at a useful elevation by around local midnight in either hemisphere, somewhat before in the north, so most of the world can enjoy the shower.”
Northern Taurids – Nov 12
“The NTA peak has only a waning crescent Moon, however. With near-ecliptic radiants, all meteoricists can observe these streams, albeit northern hemisphere observers are somewhat better-placed, as here suitable radiant zenith distances persist for much of the night, though from the southern hemisphere, a good 3-5 hours’ watching around local midnight is possible with Taurus well above the horizon.”
Leonid – Nov 17
“Luckily, new Moon on November 16 ensures perfectly dark skies for covering whatever events happen”
“the 21h-22h UT apparently critical interval will fall best chiefly for sites across Asia, from the extreme east of Europe eastwards to Japan and places at similar longitudes, but with the possibility of some unusual activity at almost any stage from ~ 6h-24h UT on November 17, only European and African longitudes look set to miss out.”
Geminid – Dec 13/14
“One of the finest, and probably the most reliable, of the major annual showers presently observable, whose peak this year is virtually coincident with new Moon.”
More information:
skytour.homestead.com/met2009.html
www.imo.net/calendar/2009#nta

The Tuarids will peak on November 12 during the photography workshop that I’ll be conducting in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks Nov 11-14:
www.MountainHighWorkshops.com

Hope you can join us!