Meteor Showers 2018 - So That More Children Can Name Stars and Constellations

I have always been fascinated by the moon and stars since young. Be it moon-watching, stargazing, identifying a constellation, I consider it fun and engaging to the highest level!

Then I happened to chance upon this FB post from Enchanting Minds, which states:

_{The screenshot I took on Enchanting Mind's FB post}

I am very lucky to have met my lifetime partner, who also adores the nighttime sky. In fact, he is even more meticulous and knowledgeable than me. I sincerely hope that this fascination will rub into our children in the future. As they say, start them young.

It is very unfortunate that nowadays, in the Cebu metropolis, it is very hard to find a dark sky perfect for stargazing. Even in the tourist spot called T.O.P (The Osmena Place) situated atop the hills of Cebu City, which many frequent to get a good view of the city, sometimes it could get cloudy or if you're really unlucky, rainy.

In my listing which I got from EarthSky.org, we have already missed the Quadrantids which peaked on the 3rd day of January 2018. Inorder to give you guys a chance to plan ahead for an awesome year of meteor shower watching and stargazing, the following are the dates:

The Lyrids

(April 16-26) - peaks at April 22. Maybe some Steemians will decide to go to TOPS after the SteemSummit.

_{Lyrid meteor in 2014 by Simon Waldram in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. He discovered it as he finished batch editing 320 photos to make a startrail image.}

The Eta Aquariids

(May 5-6) - peaks at May 5

_{Long meteor caught during the peak of the May 2016 Eta Aquarid meteor shower. This photo from Darla Young.}

The Delta Aquariids

(July 27-29) - peaks at July 27 and 28

_{Delta Aquariids in 2014, by David S. Brown in southwest Wyoming.}

The Perseids

(August 11 - 13) - peaks at August 12

_{Composite image of the 2015 Perseid shower at Mt. Rainier National Park. Matt Dieterich, who composed it, calls it "Skyfall".}

The Draconids

(October 6-10) - peaks at October 8

_{Draconids near Tucson, Arizona in 2013, by Sean Parker Photography.}

The Orionids

(October 21-22) - peaks at October 21

_{Orionid meteor, with aurora, in 2013 by Tommy Eliassen Photography in Norway.}

The South Taurids

(November 4-5)

_{In 2015, the Taurids put on a spectacular display of fireballs, which lasted many days. Jeff Dai captured this one over Yamdrok Lake in Tibet.}

The North Taurids

(November 11-12)

The Leonids

(November 17 - 18)

_{James Younger sent this photo during the 2015 peak of the Leonid meteor shower. It's a meteor over the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest.}

The Geminids

(December 13-14)

_{Cynthia Haithcock in Troy, North Carolina caught this Geminid in 2015.}

The Ursids

(December 22-23)

_{Image Source
The meteor shower is called Ursids because the meteors seem to emerge from the constellation Ursa Minor or the "Little Dipper".}

Meteor showers are named for the constellation that coincides with that region in the sky where the meteors seem to come from.

The best time to view a meteor shower is in the early morning hours, though meteoroids can enter the Earth's atmosphere at any time of the day. Meteors are best seen away from ambient lights, on a New Moon.

There isn't a lot of skill involved when watching a meteor shower. Here are a few tips on how to maximize your time when stargazing:

• Get out of the city to a place where city lights and other ambient lights do not impede your viewing. The beach and mountainside are the best places to go.

• If you are viewing the shower during its peak, you will not need any special equipment. You should be able to see the shower with your naked eyes. For non-peak times, binoculars or portable telescopes would be handy.

• Carry a blanket, a mat or a comfortable chair with you - viewing meteors, just like any other kind of stargazing is a waiting game, and it is a must that you are comfortable where you are. You may not want to leave until you can't see the celestial fireworks anymore.

• And lastly, ALWAYS check the weather for your location beforehand. Plan your journey before embarking on your stargazing trip.

When your life seems overwhelming, it often does you good to look at the stars and lose yourself. Look up and get lost.


@raquelita



_{Reference:
EarthSky
Some pictures taken from EarthSky}