Shooting stars

[Moley]

I was awake fairly early this morning, made myself a coffee and then nipped outside to take a look at the night sky.

First thing that happened was that an imaginary aircraft passed almost directly over our house, at an altitude of perhaps no more than 5,000ft, heading Eastward, possibly towards Birmingham airport. I imagined it was a small to medium sized twin-engined jet aircraft, but when I checked Barnsley Brewer's radar tracker there was no plane within 50 miles. Might it have been military, or was I just hallucinating?

Anyway, I then saw at least 5 shooting stars within as many minutes, before low cloud rolled over.

I just had a quick search around the interweb and it seems there's a Quadrantid meteor shower in early January. If we get clear skies tonight, take a look around Bootes and the Plough.

 

[borischarlton]

Yep, they were talking about it this morning on the Today program, the main event has a very small window but there may well still be a show this evening. I have been "spotting" my entire life and have only ever been disappointed by apparent showers with either cloud or a no show. The best way to see them is to get out into the proper darkness but that is difficult now in this country.

Rob

 

[EskiBrew]

Yep - peak was early hours this morning - I was hoping for a good show but we've had low lying cloud for days now

 

[sledgehammer]

there are basically two rules to flying
1. IFR instrument flight rules using instruments not constantly looking out the front (all commercial aircraft use this system there are airways in the sky a little like motorways for cars you follow these and you will be given instructions from a control on the ground these have lower height limits and you carry a transponder that transmits your height direction and speed (this the info you see on your computer and gives the controller the info he/she needs)
2. VFR visual flight rules using this system you will be below the commercial flight paths and you can fly where ever you like (within reason as there are prohibited and restricted areas) you are responsible for navigation and not transgressing the restricted areas or crashing into other aircraft or buildings , mountains etc

so the aircraft you saw was probably below the flight paths and using the VFR system

steve

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Anyone know the best time or is it pot luck?

BB

 

[dennisking]

Every August you get the Perseid shower. A couple of years running in the 70s I remember being at the Reading festival. There was a lot of people looking in the sky saying "far out" every few minutes.