I gave up on celestial events after Halley's Comet. Fizzzzzz.
Meteor showers look nothing like you imagine. 1/minute is a peak. Most are ...yeah, not much.
And of course the weather is always a factor.
So here are my constructive tips for awesome stuff in the sky.
#1 The International Space Station.Requirements: Average weather. An internet connection.
Sign up for an email alert when you'll be able to see it here:
spotthestation.nasa.gov/You can track it as it comes across the world here:
iss.astroviewer.net/And then look at yourself back down on earth here:
www.ustream.tv/recorded/56453974It's pretty cool to see it in the sky - you can't miss it, it's *bright* - and also see what it sees. Tracking as it comes across from Africa is cool too. Takes about 40 minutes.
#2 The Milky Way GalaxyRequirements: Cold, moonless night. Probably winter. Have to be a long, long way away from city lights.
If you've done a long country drive in winter at night you've seen this. The best I've ever seen it was in the South Island in NZ. We stopped and looked up for perhaps an hour. When I first stepped out of the car I got a mild sense of
vertigo it was so obviously a giant, spiral galaxy we are on the edge of.
#3 The MoonRequirements: Good view of the horizon. The ocean.
Watching a moonrise over the ocean can be utterly beautiful. Better than any pissy meteor shower anyways. Of course the best time is a full moon, and you need the ocean in the east (sorry WA). If you have crisp skies and a calm ocean it reflects and ....wow.
#4 The moon againRequirements: Binoculars.
Lie on your back and look at it through a large set of binoculars. Best when it is half full or less. Otherwise it's just too bright.
#5 Satellites Requirements: Dusk (or dawn) and good skies.
Go here and enter your location at top right:
www.heavens-above.com/AllSats.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCTYou want the "Daily predictions for brighter satellites" link if you get lost.
You'll see a few every evening. Guaranteed.