perseid meteor shower tonight! august 12th!

[ABEL]

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/11jul_greatperseids.htm

The show begins between 9:00 and 10:00 pm on Sunday, August 12th, when Perseus rises in the northeast. This is the time to look for Perseid Earthgrazers--meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping the surface of a pond.

"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful; they are among the most beautiful of meteors," says Cooke. He cautions that an hour of watching may net only a few of these--"at most"--but seeing even one makes the long night worthwhile.

As the night unfolds, Perseus climbs higher and the meteor rate will increase many-fold. "By 2 am on Monday morning, August 13th, dozens of Perseids may be flitting across the sky every hour." The crescendo comes before dawn when rates could exceed a meteor a minute.

 

[BonosSaint]

They are absolutely gorgeous. Just before dawn. I've got a long night ahead of me.

 

[waynetravis]

Everytime something like this happens, it's always cloudy so I miss it.

Last night it was perfectly clear and I could see the stars through my window when I went to bed.
My room faces east too
Taurus is in the east too. That's interesting

 

[ABEL]

we've got almost perfect viewing conditions here but i live almost near downtown so it's pretty bright around here.
i hope there's enough meteors that i'll get to see a few of them from my parking lot.
i didn't plan ahead this year otherwise i would have taken the day off but luckily i don't go in to work till 2pm so i can stay up a little late.

 

[BonosSaint]

I have to be at work at 8:am and I have to drop my car off for oil change first. No sleep for me. Of course it's going to be cloudy.

 

[music.u2]

Anyone know what time it's meant to appear at in the UK/Ireland? I think it's 3am.. going to set my alarm for about 2. Don't want to sleep through it even if the clouds do cover it up!

 

[waynetravis]

Anyone know what time it's meant to appear at in the UK/Ireland? I think it's 3am.. going to set my alarm for about 2. Don't want to sleep through it even if the clouds do cover it up!

According to the link ABEL posted, it says it starts at 9pm in any time-zone.
Does that mean all time zones or just the 4 USA time zones?

 

[Vincent Vega]

Everytime something like this happens, it's always cloudy so I miss it.

 

[music.u2]

I don't know I thought it said on BBC news that it was at 3am.. checked a few websites it says that it will be visable between 9pm-3am.. others say 12 midnight-3am! Guess I might have to stay up all night afterall

 

[MsPurrl]

We went out last night (early this morning?) from 2:00-2:30 a.m. and saw three. Too bad I have to work in the morning and can't go out again tonight.

 

[*browneyedgirl*]

I want to see this it will be a long night indeed, I hope I can stay up that long.

 

[LMP]

I'll try and catch this tonight, thanks for the info.

 

[hardyharhar]

Perseids are hit and miss every year. Some years are spectacular, the next may not. I'm not sure there is an explanation for this. But it seems to be best in the hours before dawn. I saw the best shower of my life in '94 because I was up at 4 am feeding my 2 month old. When she fell asleep, I remembered the Perseids, walked outside and saw many meteors, including a few large flaming ? meteors. I'd never seen a shooting star like those, it was literally breathtaking and very exciting. Haven't seen anything like it since, though I've missed a few years. Definitely recommend checking to see how it's going, if you can stay up.

 

[*browneyedgirl*]

4 a.m but I'll try

 

[ABEL]

Perseids are hit and miss every year. Some years are spectacular, the next may not. I'm not sure there is an explanation for this. But it seems to be best in the hours before dawn. I saw the best shower of my life in '94 because I was up at 4 am feeding my 2 month old. When she fell asleep, I remembered the Perseids, walked outside and saw many meteors, including a few large flaming ? meteors. I'd never seen a shooting star like those, it was literally breathtaking and very exciting. Haven't seen anything like it since, though I've missed a few years. Definitely recommend checking to see how it's going, if you can stay up.

yeah i think 94 was the first year i saw the perseid meteor shower too.
it was almost like a religious experience hehe!
literally huge fireballs across the sky like something out of star trek.
it all depends on where you are in the angle of the tail of the comet.
the meteors are left overs from the tail of the swift-tuttle commet.
if you're more in the direct path or the earth is pointed at the right angle you see more meteors.
the reason they think this years will be a little better is because there is no moon visible.

honestly the leonid meteor shower in november is my favorite meteor shower and the one which you are almost guaranteed to see more meteors.
but the weather is colder then too so the perseids are always nice in the warmer weather.
but crisp cool autumn/winter nights actually make for better astronomical viewing cuz there's less moisture and other muck in the atmosphere.

the 'flaming' meteors are referred to as fireballs.

 

[Butterscotch]

Cool, thanks for telling us!

 

[corianderstem]

Next year I need to plan ahead of time and take some days off around this time. I'd have to drive a good hour out of the city to get anywhere dark enough to see anything.

But in the end, it's fine that I'm unprepared for it this year, since it's completely cloudy this weekend.

 

[angelordevil]

I'm really hoping to catch some of this. It's cloudy at the moment, but the stars are trying to poke through...my big fear is that the sky will be washed out a bit in the city lights.

 

[waynetravis]

its 2 30am here and i been looking out my window for the past 10mins..

so far i've seen 6!!!

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

wahhhhhhhhhhh.. it's cloudy here tonite.. I don't see squat..

 

[GibsonGirl]

My mother and I just headed up the road leading to the ski resort. Absolutely pitch black up there. We saw about five regular old shooting stars, which were nice enough but unremarkable. And then...oh my God, it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen! A blaze of light streaking out slowly above the car, the double trail behind it almost blue in colour. It was stunning. We hung around a bit longer to see if we could spot any more, but we were so scared out there in the middle of nowhere that we had to leave. But now the sky has cleared up over our deck at home, and we can see a few passing overhead. I'm going to set my alarm for about 3:00AM.

Space is so cool.

 

[LMP]

I wonder if this somehow relates to Space Moon: The Moon in Space...

 

[*browneyedgirl*]

now i have to go watch

 

[angelordevil]

My mother and I just headed up the road leading to the ski resort. Absolutely pitch black up there. We saw about five regular old shooting stars, which were nice enough but unremarkable. And then...oh my God, it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen! A blaze of light streaking out slowly above the car, the double trail behind it almost blue in colour. It was stunning. We hung around a bit longer to see if we could spot any more, but we were so scared out there in the middle of nowhere that we had to leave. But now the sky has cleared up over our deck at home, and we can see a few passing overhead. I'm going to set my alarm for about 3:00AM.

Space is so cool.

I'm so envious! Sounds absolutely beautiful. I was just speaking with my family on cell phone...they're all stretched out on Pasadena Beach on the west coast, completely in awe. Every second, or so, I was hearing a "Weeee!!" or "Awwwww!" from someone. The sky is so much more intense at night inland...I wish I was there with them!! Space is completely cool...maybe if I get up early, the sky will be brighter than it is at the moment.

I wonder if this somehow relates to Space Moon: The Moon in Space...

It all relates to Space Moon!! The sky will be completely moon-free tonight, hence the great visibility...outside of major cities. Over 75 meteors per hour, they say.

 

[RavenBlue]

We saw a few tonight before the clouds rolled in. Some really bright ones too

 

[bonocomet]

Well I walked outside and saw one nice one within seconds, but that was it for about 15 minutes until my neck hurt too much from looking up. I'll go back out a bit later tho. Thanks for the heads up Abel.

 

[ABEL]

Well I walked outside and saw one nice one within seconds, but that was it for about 15 minutes until my neck hurt too much from looking up. I'll go back out a bit later tho. Thanks for the heads up Abel.

your welcome! i have the same problem..my neck hurts hehe! ow.
i went out around 12:30 or so for about 20 minutes but didn't see anything.
i just went out about 1:30 and within 5 minutes saw one.
besides my neck hurting it's awfully hot out there.
and probably not too safe for me to be standing out there all by my lonesome at my apartment complex too long late at night.
unfortunately the pool area is closed by my apartment.
that would be a nice place to hang out with nice reclining lawn chairs.
there's another pool on the other side of the complex.
but again it's probably not too safe for me to hang out there by myself.
and i wouldn't wanna fall asleep out there.

well at least i can say i saw one.
it was a rather nice one to with a long graceful tail.
i can only imagine what it would look like from the dark countryside.

i would like to set up my camera for some pics.
but i'll wait and see if i see more meteors.
but i don't want to do it if there won't be any more meteors.
i'd hate for security to drive by and think i was some kind of pervert taking pics of people's windows or sumfin.

 

[I'm Ready]

I went out for about 10 minutes and saw nothing, I think the light pollution is pretty bad where I live so I'm going to wait until the peak area of 3-4 am and go out again and hope to see something

 

[ABEL]

I'm so envious! Sounds absolutely beautiful. I was just speaking with my family on cell phone...they're all stretched out on Pasadena Beach on the west coast, completely in awe. Every second, or so, I was hearing a "Weeee!!" or "Awwwww!" from someone. The sky is so much more intense at night inland...I wish I was there with them!! Space is completely cool...maybe if I get up early, the sky will be brighter than it is at the moment.

wow i'm envious too! being at the beach watching meteors.
that sounds like the most perfect, romantic, fun evening!
i wish i was there!
scotty beam me over

 

[ABEL]

I went out for about 10 minutes and saw nothing, I think the light pollution is pretty bad where I live so I'm going to wait until the peak area of 3-4 am and go out again and hope to see something

i live about 10 minutes from downtown dallas.
so light pollution here is almost at it's worst.
but the sky is much darker now than it was earlier.
i think i'll wait till after 2am to go out again.
i usually don't go to bed till around 3 or 4am anyway.
thankfully i don't have to be at work till 2pm.
i'm still mad at myself for not planning this better.
i shoulda taken a vacation day and gone camping.