Astronomy Section

Astronomy Section
Last Updated: January 3, 2002

Home Currently this pages contains:

Moon phases for 2002
Meteor showers for 2002
Solar system info
This way you can see what the moon is doing for any given shower. Also, I've given a little extra explanation for some of the columns at the end of the meteor shower table. And speaking of showers, there have again been predictions made for a meteor storm for the Leonids on 11/17, some folks are saying it could be even better than 2001. Just keep in mind it's 3 days before the new moon, so I'm not sure if it will get in the way or not.

Lunar Phases For 2002
New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter
January 6

January 13 January 21 January 28 February 4

February 12 February 20 February 27 March 6

March 14 March 22 March 28 April 4

April 12 April 20 April 27 May 4

May 12 May 19 May 26 June 3

June 10 June 18 June 24 July 2

July 10 July 17 July 24 August 1

August 8 August 15 August 22 August 31

September 7 September 13 September 21 September 29

October 6 October 13 October 21 October 29

November 4 November 11 November 20 November 27

December 4 December 11 December 19 December 27

Meteor Showers For 2002
Shower Name Activity Period Peak
Date Peak Day Max Rate
(per hour) Brightness Speed
(km/s) Originating from Radiant
Quadrantids 01/01 - 01/05 01/03 Thursday 120 2.1 41 230, +49

Delta-Cancrids 01/01 - 01/24 01/17 Thursday 4 3.0 28 130, +20

Alpha-Centaurids 01/28 - 02/21 02/08 Friday ~6 2.0 56 210, -59

delta-Leonids 02/15 - 03/10 02/24 Sunday 2 3.0 23 168, +16

Gamma-Normids 02/25 - 03/22 03/13 Wednesday 8 2.4 56 249, -51

Virginids 01/25 - 04/15 (03/24) Sunday 5 3.0 30 195, -04

Lyrids 04/16 - 04/25 04/22 Monday 15 2.9 49 Comet Thatcher (from 1861) 271, +34

pi-Puppids 04/15 - 04/28 04/23 Tuesday var. 2.0 18 Comet Grigg-Skjellerup 110, -45

Eta-Aquarids 04/19 - 05/28 05/05 Sunday 60 2.7 66 Halley's Comet 338, -01

Sagittarids 04/15 - 07/15 (05/20) Monday 5 2.5 30 247, -22

June Bootids 06/26 - 07/02 06/27 Thursday var. 2.2 18 Comet Pons-Winnecke 224, +48

Pegasids 07/07 - 07/13 07/09 Tuesday 3 3.0 70 340, +15

July Phoenicids 07/10 - 07/16 07/13 Saturday 3-10 3.0 47 032, -48

Pisces Austrinids 07/15 - 08/10 07/27 Saturday 5 3.2 35 341, -30

Southern delta-Aquarids 07/12 - 08/19 07/28 Sunday 20 3.2 41 Yet to be discovered 339, -16

alpha-Capricornids 07/03 - 08/15 07/29 Monday 4 2.5 25 307, -10

Southern Iota-Aquarids 07/25 - 08/15 08/04 Sunday 2 2.9 34 334, -15

Northern Delta-Aquarids 07/15 - 08/25 08/08 Thursday 4 3.4 42 335, -05

Perseids 07/17 - 08/24 08/12 Monday 100-110 2.6 59 Comet Swift-Tuttle 046, +58

kappa-Cygnids 08/03 - 08/25 08/17 Saturday 3 3.0 25 286, +59

Northern iota-Aquarids 08/11 - 08/31 08/20 Tuesday 3 3.2 31 327, -06

alpha-Aurigids 08/25 - 09/05 08/31 Saturday 10 2.5 66 084, +42

Delta-Aurigids 09/05 - 10/10 09/08 Sunday 6 3.0 64 060, +47

Piscids 09/01 - 09/30 09/20 Friday 3 3.0 26 005, -01

Draconids 10/06 - 10/10 10/08 Tuesday var. 2.6 20 Giacobini-Zinner 262, +54

epsilon-Geminids 10/14 - 10/27 10/18 Friday 2 3.0 70 102, +27

Orionids 10/02 - 11/07 10/21 Monday 20 2.9 66 Halley's Comet 095, +16

Southern Taurids 10/01 - 11/25 11/05 Tuesday 5 2.3 27 Encke's Comet 052, +13

Northern Taurids 10/01 - 11/25 11/12 Tuesday 5 2.3 29 Encke's Comet 058, +22

Leonids 11/14 - 11/21 11/17 Sunday storm? 2.9 71 Comet Tempel-Tuttle 153, +22

alpha-Monocerotids 11/15 - 11/25 11/21 Thursday var. 2.4 65 117, +01

Chi-Orionids 11/26 - 12/15 12/02 Monday 3 3.0 28 082, +23

Phoenicids 11/28 - 12/09 12/06 Friday var. 2.8 18 018, -53

Puppid-Velids 12/01 - 12/15 12/07 Saturday ~10 2.9 40 123, -45

Monocerotids 11/27 - 12/17 12/09 Monday 3 3.0 42 100, +08

Sigma-Hydrids 12/03 - 12/15 12/12 Thursday 2 3.0 58 127, +02

Geminids 12/07 - 12/17 12/14 Saturday 110-130 2.6 35 Asteroid Phaethon 112, +33

Coma Berenicids 12/12 - 01/23 12/20 Friday 5 3.0 65 175, +25

Ursids 12/17 - 12/26 12/22 Sunday 10 3.0 33 217, +76

**Lunar Phases For 2002**
New Moon	First Quarter	Full Moon	Last Quarter
			January 6
January 13	January 21	January 28	February 4
February 12	February 20	February 27	March 6
March 14	March 22	March 28	April 4
April 12	April 20	April 27	May 4
May 12	May 19	May 26	June 3
June 10	June 18	June 24	July 2
July 10	July 17	July 24	August 1
August 8	August 15	August 22	August 31
September 7	September 13	September 21	September 29
October 6	October 13	October 21	October 29
November 4	November 11	November 20	November 27
December 4	December 11	December 19	December 27

**Meteor Showers For 2002**
Shower Name	Activity Period	Peak Date	Peak Day	Max Rate (per hour)	Brightness	Speed (km/s)	Originating from	Radiant
Quadrantids	01/01 - 01/05	01/03	Thursday	120	2.1	41		230, +49
Delta-Cancrids	01/01 - 01/24	01/17	Thursday	4	3.0	28		130, +20
Alpha-Centaurids	01/28 - 02/21	02/08	Friday	~6	2.0	56		210, -59
delta-Leonids	02/15 - 03/10	02/24	Sunday	2	3.0	23		168, +16
Gamma-Normids	02/25 - 03/22	03/13	Wednesday	8	2.4	56		249, -51
Virginids	01/25 - 04/15	(03/24)	Sunday	5	3.0	30		195, -04
Lyrids	04/16 - 04/25	04/22	Monday	15	2.9	49	Comet Thatcher (from 1861)	271, +34
pi-Puppids	04/15 - 04/28	04/23	Tuesday	var.	2.0	18	Comet Grigg-Skjellerup	110, -45
Eta-Aquarids	04/19 - 05/28	05/05	Sunday	60	2.7	66	Halley's Comet	338, -01
Sagittarids	04/15 - 07/15	(05/20)	Monday	5	2.5	30		247, -22
June Bootids	06/26 - 07/02	06/27	Thursday	var.	2.2	18	Comet Pons-Winnecke	224, +48
Pegasids	07/07 - 07/13	07/09	Tuesday	3	3.0	70		340, +15
July Phoenicids	07/10 - 07/16	07/13	Saturday	3-10	3.0	47		032, -48
Pisces Austrinids	07/15 - 08/10	07/27	Saturday	5	3.2	35		341, -30
Southern delta-Aquarids	07/12 - 08/19	07/28	Sunday	20	3.2	41	Yet to be discovered	339, -16
alpha-Capricornids	07/03 - 08/15	07/29	Monday	4	2.5	25		307, -10
Southern Iota-Aquarids	07/25 - 08/15	08/04	Sunday	2	2.9	34		334, -15
Northern Delta-Aquarids	07/15 - 08/25	08/08	Thursday	4	3.4	42		335, -05
Perseids	07/17 - 08/24	08/12	Monday	100-110	2.6	59	Comet Swift-Tuttle	046, +58
kappa-Cygnids	08/03 - 08/25	08/17	Saturday	3	3.0	25		286, +59
Northern iota-Aquarids	08/11 - 08/31	08/20	Tuesday	3	3.2	31		327, -06
alpha-Aurigids	08/25 - 09/05	08/31	Saturday	10	2.5	66		084, +42
Delta-Aurigids	09/05 - 10/10	09/08	Sunday	6	3.0	64		060, +47
Piscids	09/01 - 09/30	09/20	Friday	3	3.0	26		005, -01
Draconids	10/06 - 10/10	10/08	Tuesday	var.	2.6	20	Giacobini-Zinner	262, +54
epsilon-Geminids	10/14 - 10/27	10/18	Friday	2	3.0	70		102, +27
Orionids	10/02 - 11/07	10/21	Monday	20	2.9	66	Halley's Comet	095, +16
Southern Taurids	10/01 - 11/25	11/05	Tuesday	5	2.3	27	Encke's Comet	052, +13
Northern Taurids	10/01 - 11/25	11/12	Tuesday	5	2.3	29	Encke's Comet	058, +22
Leonids	11/14 - 11/21	11/17	Sunday	storm?	2.9	71	Comet Tempel-Tuttle	153, +22
alpha-Monocerotids	11/15 - 11/25	11/21	Thursday	var.	2.4	65		117, +01
Chi-Orionids	11/26 - 12/15	12/02	Monday	3	3.0	28		082, +23
Phoenicids	11/28 - 12/09	12/06	Friday	var.	2.8	18		018, -53
Puppid-Velids	12/01 - 12/15	12/07	Saturday	~10	2.9	40		123, -45
Monocerotids	11/27 - 12/17	12/09	Monday	3	3.0	42		100, +08
Sigma-Hydrids	12/03 - 12/15	12/12	Thursday	2	3.0	58		127, +02
Geminids	12/07 - 12/17	12/14	Saturday	110-130	2.6	35	Asteroid Phaethon	112, +33
Coma Berenicids	12/12 - 01/23	12/20	Friday	5	3.0	65		175, +25
Ursids	12/17 - 12/26	12/22	Sunday	10	3.0	33		217, +76

Peak date: some of them aren't known precisely so there's a question mark, the peak might happen a day or so on either side.
Maximum rate: the hourly rate at the peak and can vary from the number shown, depending on which shower as well as atmospheric conditions. So the higher the number, the better the show. Some of them are too variable to accurately measure, so the term "var." is used.
Brightness: the smaller the number, the brighter each meteor should be. Numbers between 2 and 3 are good, anything over three starts to get dim.
Speed: this gives an indication for how long the trails will be. The faster, the longer.
Radiant: the point in the sky from which all the meteors appear to originate, given in right ascention and declination.

**Solar System Statistics**
Info	Sun	Mercury	Venus	Earth	Mars	Jupiter	Saturn	Uranus	Neptune	Pluto
Avg Distance (million miles)	-	36	67.2	92.9	141.6	483.6	886.7	1,782	2,794	3,666
Avg Distance (AUs)	-	0.4	0.7	1.0	1.5	5.2	9.5	19.2	30.1	39.5
Perihelion (million miles)	-	43.3	67.7	94.5	154.8	507	936	1,867	2,819	4,583
Aphelion (million miles)	-	28.5	66.7	91.4	128.4	460	837	1,700	2,769	2,750
Orbital Tilt (degrees)	-	7	3.39	0	1.85	1.3	2.49	.77	1.77	17.2
Axial Tilt (degrees)	-	2	2	23.4	24	3.1	26.7	97.9	28.8	57.5
Orbital Speed (miles/sec)	-	29.8	21.8	18.5	15	8.1	6	4.2	3.4	2.9
Orbital Period	-	86 days	225 days	365.26 days	1.88 years	11.9 years	29.5 years	84 years	165 years	248.5 years
Diameter	865,000	3,031	7,521	7,927	4,197	88,733	74,600	31,600	30,200	1,900
Mass (Earth = 1)	332,946	.055	.81	1	.11	318	95.18	15.4	17.14	.0022
Volume (Earth = 1)	??	.056	.86	1	.15	1,323	744	67	57	??
Rotational Period	25 days 8 hours	86 days	243 days 0 hours	23 hours 56 min	24 hours 37 min	9 hours 48 min	10 hours 39 min	17 hours 14 min	18 hours 30 min	6 days 9 hours
Surface Gravity	27.80	0.38	0.90	1.00	0.38	2.80	1.30	0.90	1.20	0.05
Surface Temp (F)	9,900	-270 / 800	867	59	-40	-180	-290	-350	-360	-360
Avg Density (g/cm^3)	1.41	5.42	5.25	5.52	3.94	1.33	.69	1.27	1.71	2.03
Escape Velocity (miles/sec)	370	2.7	6.4	7	3.1	37	22.1	13.2	14.7	.7
Maximum Apparent Magnitude	-26.7	-1.4	-4.4	-	-2.8	-2.8	-.3	5.5	7.8	13.6
Known Moons	-	0	0	1	2	28	30	21	2	1

AU: (Astronomical Unit) The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 93,000,000 miles.


Home	Currently this pages contains: Moon phases for 2002 Meteor showers for 2002 Solar system info This way you can see what the moon is doing for any given shower. Also, I've given a little extra explanation for some of the columns at the end of the meteor shower table. And speaking of showers, there have again been predictions made for a meteor storm for the Leonids on 11/17, some folks are saying it could be even better than 2001. Just keep in mind it's 3 days before the new moon, so I'm not sure if it will get in the way or not.