This Month's Meteor Activity

Last Month's Meteor Activity

All Meteor data are provided by Andy, G7IZU, tuned to 55.250 / 59.257 MHz. Many thanks!
Feel free to check out his Radio Reflection Detection site for more details.

UPCOMING METEOR SHOWERS: MAY 2012
The most prominent shower this month is η – Aquariids, peaking May 05, 19h UT. This shower, related to the rich stream associated with comet 1P/Halley, is characterized by a broad maximum, sometimes with a variable number of submaxima. Recent IMO analyses, based on data collected between 1984 and 2001, indicate that ZHR is generally above 30 hr-1 between about may 3-10. The peak rates appear to be variable on a roughly 12-years timescale, due to influence of Jupiter. According to this model, the most recent highest rates should have happended around 2008-2010. Peak ZHR around 65 hr-1 is predicted for 2012. Please note that η – Aquariids radiant is above horizon (thus making the shower usable for MS) in Europe only (approximatively) in very late night and morning hours. While southern Europe stations will be able to “see” the radiant till early afternoon, in northern Europe skies the radiant culminates at reletively low elevation so an observer is able to see the radiant for much less time.
Some daytime showers (ο – Cetids, peaking May 20th being the most significant ) will be also active this month; in addition to increasing Sporadic Meteors background, they will provide good conditions for MS DXing.

For Radio Observers, the (theoretical) UT peaks for upcoming showers in May 2012 are as follows:

η – Aquariids
Active: April 19 – May 28
Maximum: May 05, 19h UT (λsol= 45°5)
ZHR: HIGH (65 hr-1)

η – Lyrids
Active: May 03 – May 14
Maximum: May 08 (λsol= 48°0)
ZHR: Low (3 hr-1)

ε - Arietids (Daytime shower)
Active: April 24 – May 27
Maximum: May 09 (λsol= 48°7)
ZHR: Low

Arietids (May) (Daytime shower)
Active: May 04 – June 06
Maximum: May 16 (λsol= 55°5)
ZHR: Low

ο – Cetids (Daytime shower)
Active: May 05 – June 02
Maximum: May 20 (λsol= 59°3)
ZHR: Medium
(Source: IMO)

2012 Lyrids overview

2012 Lyrids peak occurred in the early hours of April 22nd , but somewhat before than predicted; ZHR has been slightly higher than predicted, as well as overall peak duration. As shown in the activity plot, ZHR reached about 23 hr-1 at maximum (around 00:40 UT on Apr 22nd) on a brief subpeak, but rates remained high till early morning (time of predicted peak). At the maximum time, fortunately, the radiant elevation was good for most Europe, while radiant was bit too high in the early morning. Read more about 2012 Lyrids at IMO Website.