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Here's your definitive guide to the best of what's happening in space in 2015


The Sombraro Galaxy, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)


Scott Sutherland
Meteorologist/Science Writer

Saturday, December 27, 2014, 4:07 PM - Some pretty amazing things have gone on in space over the past year, but with 2014 nearly over, here's a guide to the best of what to watch for in the year to come.

Meteor Showers!

There are dozens of identified meteor showers that we see return on a yearly basis. While some produce more meteors than others, thus putting on a better show overall, the phase of the Moon has a big influence on which ones are best for viewing in a particular year.

For anyone living in the northern hemisphere, here are the six you really need to watch out for in 2015:


Leonid meteor, 2009. c/o Wikimedia Commons

  • Quadrantids - The source of this shower is a bit of a mystery (could be 'extinct comet' 2003 EH1), yet it returns every year nonetheless and has the potential to deliver over 100 meteors per hour. Peaking for just a period of 8 hours, on the night of Jan 3-4 in 2015, viewing of the Quantrantids may be tough due the short time that they  to a nearly full moon up in the sky all night, but the potential number of meteors still makes this one worth a try.
  • Lyrids - Although there aren't as many meteors for this shower, maybe about 20 per hour, the debris from Comet Thatcher produces very bright streaks in our night sky. The Lyrids peak on the night of April 22-23, and with only a crescent moon to compete with, which sets well before midnight, viewing should be very good (depending on the weather).
  • Perseids - One of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, the Perseids peak on the night of August 12-13, with only the thinnest of crescent moons to contend with in 2015. Although not as popular as Halley's Comet, Comet Swift–Tuttle has laid down a trail of debris that is well known to produce the most fireballs of any other meteor shower of the year.
  • Orionids - Like the Lyrids, this shower produces about 20 meteors per hour at its peak, which occurs on the night of Oct 21 and 22 in 2015. Although that's not as many meteors to see, most of them should be visible due to the half-moon that will set just after midnight, and the streaks of light will be caused by one of the most famous comets in history - Halley's Comet.
  • Leonids - Another weak shower, but with excellent viewing conditions, the Leonids produce about 15 meteors per hour at its peak, which is on the night of Nov 17-18 next year. Every 33 years, though, the Leonids become a meteor storm, with hundreds of meteors per hour flashing through the sky. The only downside is that the next storm isn't due until the year 2034.
  • Geminids - One of the best meteor showers of the year, it regularly produces over 100 meteors per hour, and its 'rock comet' origin gives it some of the most colour meteors of all. In 2015, the Geminids peak on Dec 13-14, with there is only a crescent moon in the sky.

The exact viewing conditions of these meteor showers will depend on the weather, of course, as they won't be visible under cloudy skies. Also, your proximity to large cities will impact your viewing, due to light pollution. Check in with The Weather Network for your forecast on these nights, and Dark Sky Finder is an excellent resource to find the best locations for viewing.

NEXT PAGE: NASA encounters a 'brand new world'


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