Tips for observing meteor showers...

Nine important tips for observing meteor showers, by David Finlay:

1. I've never observed a meteor shower where I've been warm. For some reason they are always at the wrong time of year. Dress warmly. It can be very uncomfortable if you're cold at night while you're looking at the stars.

2. A blanket, pillow and reclining chair (you'll get a sore neck otherwise), along with a hot drink and some munchies are almost essential.

3. Check the weather predictions beforehand. Weatherzone is my preference.

5. Meteor showers are usually best between 2am and sunrise. If you're only going to observe for a few minutes or half an hour, observe around 4am.

6. Don't waste your time on small showers. Disappointment in not seeing anything can ruin a good night otherwise spent sleeping, and can discourage further viewing of astronomical events. There's nothing worse than a fizzer! Save your effort for the best showers, like the Eta Aquarids in May and the Perseids in August. Keep an eye out for information on meteor outbursts. Sometimes a normal meteor shower can turn into a storm, like the Leonid outburst in 2001. With one fireball every 3 seconds or better, a meteor storm is an event not to be missed!

7. For photography, a digital SLR with tripod and cable release, and a wide angle lens to cover as much of the sky as possible is required. Manual setting, 30 second exposure, f2.8 or lower (or as low as you can go), ISO1600-3200, white balance 4,200K. Reduce the shutter time if there is a bright moon or light pollution. Use your biggest memory card, lock the cable release button down and take as many continuous photos as you can. Even if you don't capture any meteors, you can always combine your photos into a beautiful time lapse sequence. Try to combine the photo with something in the foreground, like the ghostly branches of a dead tree, a lake, mountain, something other than just plain sky.

8. Bring a friend. The only thing worse than being cold at night is being alone with nobody to talk to. Good conversation can fill the dull periods, and you want to be able to share the really bright meteors with somebody else.

9. Every time you see a bright meteor, you've got to say WAAUUUGGGHHHHHHH! It's a rule. Really, it is.