Doi Inthanon campers treated to over 200 ‘shooting stars’ hourly

By The Nation

 

 

Sky gazers camping out Doi Inthanon mountaintop in Chiang Mai were treated to a spectacular show by the Geminid meteor shower overnight on Thursday-Friday.

 

Dr Saran Posayajinda National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand said the meteor shower started at about 8.30pm in the northeastern sky where the Gemini constellation is located. The meteors became more frequent after midnight, reaching 200 meteors per hour in one of the largest Geminid displays in recent history.

 

Saran said his institute received cooperation from the Doi Inthanon Park to organise a special field trip of over 100 tourists to wait in a 9-degree Celsius chill for the “shooting star” show to begin.

 

Saran’s institute also held Geminid meteor watches at the Nakhon Ratchasima Observatory, Chachoengsao Observatory and a public viewpoint ground at Samilar Beach in Songklha.

 

Several schools in 77 provinces also held Geminids watching activities after receiving telescopes from the institute.

 

In Chachoengsao, about 1,000 people, mostly from Bangkok, gathered at the Chachoengsao Observatory to watch the meteor showers.

 

Worawit Tanwutthibanthi, an advisor for the observatory, said about 80 meteors were seen per hour at the observatory at the peak of the phenomenon.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30334003

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-15

Was looking at the sky with my Son last night..........Bugger all moving except a few airplanes....

11 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Was looking at the sky with my Son last night..........Bugger all moving except a few airplanes....

You were trying to bugger a few airplanes?

I missed out then as I did not even see any airplanes, but then again I was carrying out some research as what it would be like to be a Thai copper. I just sat on my ass all night and played with my phone.

wow.  good for them.  I went out to watch here in the USA in Florida. It was a relatively clear night but with a lot moisture and humidity in the air.  I didn't see anything.  I love  good meteor shower.  Years ago like 1986 during the Hally's comet time I caught the Perseids in August in Southern California wild area north of Santa Barbara and the viewing was stunning.  So many stars couldn't find  the constellations!