Happy solstice from the Royal Observatory, Greenwich! The 2009 winter solstice occurred today (21 Dec) at 17.47. Enjoy the long night – and if anyone in these parts was dreaming of a white solstice, they certainly got one.
Find out more about solstices and equinoxes in our fact file.
This weekend the annual Geminids meteor shower reaches its peak, on the night of 13 December and the morning of 14 December.
The Earth will be ploughing through a stream of debris left behind
by asteroid 3200 Phaethon, and we see these fragments burn up as they hit
the Earth’s atmosphere, causing the shooting stars. Some of the fragments can reach the size of big fireballs.
The Geminids shower seems to be intensifying each year, and an average of 100 meteors per hour are expected to radiate from near the bright
star Castor. The peak date this year also occurs two days before the new Moon which should make for ideal viewing conditions.
Greg Smye-Rumsby explains how to see the meteors, courtesy of Astronomy Now:
Details of all the major annual meteor showers visible from the UK are available on the NMM website.
With dark nights around the winter solstice, December is an ideal time for stargazing. Why not come to the Royal Observatory for a special observing evening with our astronomers?
Explore the wonders of the winter skies, and gain a useful introduction to the use of binoculars and small
telescopes. The session will include a planetarium talk, a short
seminar and a practical session.
Date: 11 December 2009
Time: 19.00-22.00
Cost: £15/£11
Part of our programme of observing evenings, these sessions offer you an opportunity to use our historic 28″ diameter refracting telescope,
the seventh largest in the world. With a chance to
look at star clusters and double
stars, the programme provides an unusual Christmas experience that’s
out of this world. Places limited.
Please note: If adverse weather
conditions prevent viewing through the telescopes, an alternative
programme will be offered. We are not unable to offer refunds under
such circumstances.
Dates: 5, 6, 12, 13, 19-23 December
Times: 16.30, 17.00 (Duration 30 minutes)
Cost: £5 / concessions £3.50
Ages: 7+
E-mail: bookings@nmm.ac.uk
Tel: 020 8312 6608.
The Bookings office is open 10.00-16.00
Image: NGC 2264 including the Christmas Tree Cluster (ESO)