Meteor Shower Calendar 2008 available

The Meteor Shower Calendar 2008 is now available
on the web. The meteor year ahead starts well for the stronger showers, with
moonless maxima for the Quadrantids, α-Centaurids, η-Aquarids and
δ-Aquarids, but things go somewhat awry in August with the Perseids
peaking near full Moon, while the Orionids in October, the Leonids in November
and the Geminids in December are even worse-placed. However, the Draconid epoch
should still be partly observable, while the late October to early November
spell, which may bring another ‘swarm’ enhancement from the Taurids, is Moon-
free, as too is the Ursid peak towards year’s end. There are minor showers to
be monitored as well, and ideally, meteor observing should be carried out
throughout the year to check on all the established sources, and for any new
ones. We appreciate this is impractical for most people, so the Shower Calendar has been helping to highlight times
when a particular effort might most usefully be employed since 1991.