The Conservative Cave
The Bar => The Lounge => Topic started by: Chris on August 11, 2009, 02:46:03 AM
-
Perseid Meteor Shower tonight and tomorrow night (Tuesday and Wednesday). I might see if I can get out and get some photographs. I'll have to drive down to the Dyer Observatory, but I'll probably stop at the golf course next door instead since the Observatory is bound to be busy.
As Earth continues its pass through the debris field left by periodic Comet Swift-Tuttle on August 11 and 12, the annual Perseid Meteor Shower could deliver a double peak and a brief period of up to 200 meteors per hour.
Even though a 66% gibbous moon promises to obscure many of the faint meteors, dozens could still be visible, including the always spectacular "earthgrazers". Viewing tips abound, but basically find a dark spot (preferably away from the city), lay on the ground and stare at the sky between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time. The radiant, or where the meteors appear to originate from geek-speak style, is found near the constellation Perseus in the northeast sky. The 2009 Perseids have actually already started, but special attention is to be paid around 0800 UDT (1 am PDT) when Earth will pass through a more dense than usual area of the debris field left by Swift-Tuttle. Spaceweather.com already has some '09 photos compiled. Last year, amateur astronomers observed Perseids striking the Moon. What will this year bring? It probably won't be what it's like when worlds collide but it promises to be quite impressive, even with the Moon trying to spoil the show.
http://www.metafilter.com/84034/St-Lawrence-cried-like-a-baby
-
Unfortunately, we had a front move in, and its all cloudy right now. Maybe that will pass in a few hours.
-
Just a little hint.....I've been told that the water hazards are the best place to watch meteor showers. :evillaugh:
-
Just a little hint.....I've been told that the water hazards are the best place to watch meteor showers. :evillaugh:
Silly me, I was going to use the parking lot.
-
City lights and trees block the view. :(
I can still remember summer nights as a kid lying in the grass during the summer and watching for "falling stars". Damn chiggers.
-
City lights and trees block the view. :(
Same here, but I can drive ten minutes down the highway and be in the country. I'll give it a shot after the clouds clear out.
-
Silly me, I was going to use the parking lot.
Hey, you didn't say where. I was just offering a friendly suggestion.
-
That's part of my nap time.
-
raining.............. :thatsright:
-
City lights and trees block the view. :(
I can still remember summer nights as a kid lying in the grass during the summer and watching for "falling stars". Damn chiggers.
(http://interthing.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/1wasis.gif)
:cheersmate:
-
Dang. No luck tonight... too much light pollution and cloud cover.
-
We had a wicked storm this afternoon...( I was out in and it was like driving under a fire hose going full blast :o)..looks like it's going to storm again, looking at the weather map.... :badmood:
No stargazing tonight... :(
-
Pretty clear night tonight. I only saw a few streaks though. It's supposed to be better tomorrow from what I understand.
-
The wife and I layed out on the front lawn with the kidlet and one of her friends until 10:30 or so.
Saw 3-4. :yawn:
-
I caught it in 2000, and it was spectacular. Of course, I was in the middle of nowhere, and it was dark enough to see everything.
-
Well, we tried again last night. The "shower" picked up after about 9:45 and we saw several very bright shooting stars. It was a much better show. :hyper:
-
I'm not having any luck out here. :(
It's nice when you can catch it.