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Visibility
Sagittarids are best placed for observers in southern hepisphere, but are also visible in northern hemisphere. Rates are quite variable ranging from 0 to up to occasinally 10 meteors per hour.Despite of very low rates, brighter members of these streams may sometimes prove quite spectacular. |
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Southern delta Aquarids(SDA)
Radiant position: alpha= 339 delta= -16 Radiant drift: Da= +0:75 Dd=+0:21 Period of visibility: July 12 - August 19 Maximum: l. = 136 (August 9) ZHRmax= 4 r=3.4 v= 42 km/s Parent body: unknown
Visibility
At northern latitudes the Aquarid radiants never culminate very high above the horizont, therefore observed rates stay low. In addition, the mass distribution contains many relativy small particles which produce faint meteors.The shower is thus of particular interest to observers of telescopic meteors. Northern delta Aquarids
Active : July 15 - August 25; Maximum : August 8 (lambda = 136°); ZHR = 4 Radiant : alpha = 335° , delta = -05°; Radiant drift: Da= +0:75 Dd=+0:21 radius : 5°; V = 42 km/s; r = 3.4;
The Aquarids and Piscis Austrinids are all rich in faint meteors, making them well-suited to telescopic work, although enough brighter members exist to make visual and photographic observations worth the effort too, primarily from more southerly sites. The alpha-Capricornids are noted for bright -- sometimes fireball-class -- events, which, combined with their low apparent velocity, can make some of these objects among the most impressive and attractive an observer could wish for. A possible minor enhancement of alpha-Capricornid ZHRs to around 10 was noted in 1995 by European IMO observers, although the Southern delta-Aquarids were the only one of these streams previously suspected of occasional variability.
Such a concentration of radiants in a small area of sky means that familiarity with where all the radiants are is essential for accurate shower association for all nights being observed on. Visual watchers in particular should plot all potential stream members seen in this region of sky rather than trying to make shower associations in the field. The only exception is when the Southern delta-Aquarids are near their peak, when from southern hemisphere sites in particular, rates may become too high for accurate plotting.
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Capricornids (CAP)
Radiant position: alpha = 307 delta = -10 Radiant drift: Da = + 0.9 Dd = + 0.3 Period of visibility: July 13 -- August 15 Maximum: lambda.= 127 (July 30) ZHR = 4 r = 2.5 v = 25 km/s Parent body: (2101) Adonis or 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova
Visibility
In mid to high northern latitudes the radiant of the Capricornids rises relatively little above the horizont. There rates will remain very low, but the large proportion of brighter shower members and their low angular velocity in the sky increase the possibility of capturing an Capricornid.
The alpha-Capricornids are noted for bright -- sometimes fireball-class --events, which, combined with their low apparent velocity, can make some of these objects among the most impressive and attractive an observer could wish for. |
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