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Today's Meteor Activity

The 'Today's Meteor Activity' graphic shows the averaged daily Meteor Activity provided by the Radio Meteor Observing Bulletin (RMOB). It's updated every hour. This graphic is free for linking to from your own website by using this link https://mmmonvhf.de/ms/ms.png

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UPCOMING METEOR SHOWERS: FEBRUARY-MARCH 2020

Only minor showers hit the Earth in February - March. The most significant is Capricornids / Sagittariids (Peaking February 1st, 06h UT), a medium-ZHR daytime shower; its radiant culminates at relatively low elevation in northern emisphere skies. Note that recent radio results indicate that Capricornids / Sagittariids maximum may fall variably sometime between February 1-4.

Southern Enisphere observers will check activity of α-Centaurids. The average peak ZHR of this shower, between 1988-2007 was only 6 hr-1; but in 1974 and 1980 outbursts of few hours duration yelded ZHR close to 20-30 hr-1. Significant activity was reported on 2015 February 14, although there was no confirmation of an outburst predicted for 2015 February 8.

Even γ-Normids deserve a careful check in the southern Emisphere, although IMO data from 1988-2007 indicate an average peak ZHR of about 6 hr-1 (at λsol=354 degs). Observational results since 1999 have suggested the possibilty of a short lived peak alternatively between λsol=347 - 357 degs, equivalent to 2020 March 7-17, while recent video results indicate significant activity around λsol=4 degs, equivalent to March 25.

Sporadic meteors are now reaching their seasonal minimum, but MS contacts via "sporadics" are still possible, especially in early morning hours.

For Radio Observers, the (theoretical) UT peaks for upcoming showers in February-March 2020 are as follows:

Capricornids / Sagittariids (Daytime shower)
Active: January 13 - February 04
Maximum: February 1, 06h UT (λsol= 312.5 degs)
ZHR: Medium

α - Centaurids (Southern Emisphere shower)
Active: January 31 - February 20
Maximum: February 08 (λsol= 319.2 degs)
ZHR: Typically low (6 hr-1) but may reach 25 hr-1

χ- Capricornids (Daytime shower)
Active: January 29 - February 28
Maximum: February 14, 05h UT (λsol= 324.7 degs)
ZHR: Low

γ - Normids (Southern Emisphere shower)
Active: February 25 - March 28
Maximum: March 14 (λsol= 354 degs)
ZHR: Low (6 hr-1)

Source: IMO