Mongolia | Taurid Meteor Shower

Canvassing various correspondents, I have discovered that most, if not all of you, ignored my advance notice of the Orionid Meteor Shower back on September 21. Now you will get a reprieve. The Taurid Meteor Shower, weak but long-lasting, will be active from late October through mid-November. Actually, "weak" may not be quite the right word. Taurids are indeed few, but some of them are spectacularly bright. So keep an eye out for fireballs. It is always possible that another Chintamani Stone will fall to earth. Unlike many meteor showers, this one can be seen in the evening as well as the morning hours, so sluggards who cannot get up in the wee-hours of the pre-dawn no longer have an excuse.

And if you go out in the evening of November 7 you will be treated to a jaw-droppingly awesome view of the Sagittarius Teapot cradled between Venus and Jupiter. (You may recall that I mentioned the Sagittarius Teapot Earlier) I am giving you advance notice so you can make your viewing plans now. Don’t miss this one!

Graphic courtesy of Sky & Telescope

Mongolia | Orionid Meteor Shower

I suspect that many of you, like me, will be up in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the 21st, to witness the annual Orionid Meteor Shower. If you have not already made your viewing plans you should do so now. The shower will be at its peak between midnight and dawn. In some years—when there is a dark, moonless sky—you can see 20 or more Orionid meteors every hour. Unfortunately, this year a Waning Moon (53.867% illumination at 3:00 a.m. on the 21st) will wash out all but the brightest Orionids. Still, we should be able to spot about ten an hour. I will be watching the meteor shower from the rocky pinnacle behind my lair in Zaisin Tolgoi. This outlook, where I frequently go to view the Heavens, is just to the east of the Khiimoryn Ovoo. As you probably know, it was sky-gazer E. C. Herrick from Connecticut, in the USA, who first documented the Orionid Meteor Shower in 1839, so you might want to include a few kind words for him in your prayers Tuesday morning.

Daytime view from the Pinnacle behind my Lair. The hill in the center is Zaisan Tolgoi, with Ulaan Baatar beyond.