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GraemeSkinner

Member

From: Eden Hall, Cumbria

Registered: 2004-02-20

Posts: 563

Website

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

Thought I'd placed this on the calendar a while ago but no sign of it (perhaps I just dreamed I'd done it!)

Unless you are under constant cloud it could be worth a look, remember just because the peak is around 11/12 August, nights either side of those dates should show an increased level of meteor activity.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/040806_ … .html]INFO

My normal routine, is to check for clouds, worry a bit, check for clouds again... If it looks clear, or near enough clear I'll set up the scope in the garden and make a night of it (not that you need a scope for a meteor shower, it just gives me something else to do for a while    All you need to view a meteor shower is clear skies and warm clothing).

Graeme

---

There was a young lady named Bright.
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
in a relative way
And returned on the previous night.
--Arthur Buller--

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

*Perseids in "Science & Technology" folder, but it's good to have an up-front reminder so people will be sure to try and catch it. 

I get up really early in the morning (4:20 a.m. usually) so I've been stepping outdoors prior to beginning work, hoping to spot some of the shower activity.  So far I've seen nothing. 

Will try again tomorrow a.m., maybe even a bit earlier. 

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

GraemeSkinner

Member

From: Eden Hall, Cumbria

Registered: 2004-02-20

Posts: 563

Website

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

*Perseids in "Science & Technology" folder, but it's good to have an up-front reminder so people will be sure to try and catch it. 

I must be going blind, I even searched for perseid posts in the past month or so and did not notice that thread :sleep: .

I get up really early in the morning (4:20 a.m. usually) so I've been stepping outdoors prior to beginning work, hoping to spot some of the shower activity.  So far I've seen nothing. 

Will try again tomorrow a.m., maybe even a bit earlier.

Keep trying, its well worth it, perhaps setting your alarm for a couple of hours earlier may do the trick, or if your not working saturday just stay up all friday night - get some friends round and make a party of it :band:

Graeme

---

There was a young lady named Bright.
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
in a relative way
And returned on the previous night.
--Arthur Buller--

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

I get up really early in the morning (4:20 a.m. usually) so I've been stepping outdoors prior to beginning work, hoping to spot some of the shower activity.  So far I've seen nothing. 

Will try again tomorrow a.m., maybe even a bit earlier.

Keep trying, its well worth it

*Good morning all.    4:30 a.m.; I went outdoors at 4:00 a.m.

First Perseid was large, shooting off towards the Pleiades.  Had a glowing golden tail like jetliner exhaust. 

Five or six others, little silver streaks:  Two towards Cassiopeia, a couple of others shot across Taurus, one zipped just north of Auriga. 

I was hoping to catch sight of at least another like the first but they were all terrific.

Lovely, balmy early morning.  Silky blackness.  Perfect temperature (perhaps 75 degrees F) and clear as a bell.  Orion's Belt rising over housetops to the SE.  Venus (big blazing silver and pretty like always) and the waning Moon in the east (Moon seems to be peeking down over the horizon to watch for the Sun's approach...  :laugh: ). 

My dog stayed by my side then our cat came along from a night's prowling, so it turned into a bit of a family affair.  :laugh:

Turned in early last evening -- well worth it. 

Anyone else?

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

GraemeSkinner

Member

From: Eden Hall, Cumbria

Registered: 2004-02-20

Posts: 563

Website

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

I only managed 5 or 6 (not sure about the last one) during a gap in the clouds that did not last as long as I'd hoped. Maybe tonight will clear a bit more - fingers crossed anyway.

Graeme

---

There was a young lady named Bright.
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
in a relative way
And returned on the previous night.
--Arthur Buller--

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

I only managed 5 or 6 (not sure about the last one) during a gap in the clouds that did not last as long as I'd hoped. Maybe tonight will clear a bit more - fingers crossed anyway.

Graeme

*Good luck, Graeme. 

I've lived in excessively cloudy climes and know how frustrating it can be, as astronomy goes (and otherwise). 

Not sure I'll get up extra early again tomorrow.  Might...

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

*Went outdoors around 4:05 a.m.  Sky completely clear, but I saw no meteors (20 minutes' watch); no luck.  Ah well...Friday the 13th.   :;):

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

SBird

Banned

Registered: 2004-03-10

Posts: 490

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

On Wednesday night, I was stuck on the side of the road in Canada heading up to Whistler, waiting for the road crews to finish some blasting work.  Spent the 1.5 hours laying on the asphault, miles from city lights and was counting about 1 meteor about every few minutes. 

Viewing conditions were good enough to see Andromeda by naked eye which is a first for me.  The only drawback is that I hadn't packed my telescope.

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

Spent the 1.5 hours laying on the asphault, miles from city lights and was counting about 1 meteor about every few minutes. 

Viewing conditions were good enough to see Andromeda by naked eye which is a first for me.

*Wow...now that's what I call meteor hunting!

As for seeing the Andromeda Galaxy with the unaided eye:  I've never been in such good viewing conditions/lack of light pollution/time of the year -combined- to have accomplished that.  Glad you had the experience, though.

--Cindy 

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Perseids - Meteor shower

*Spaceweather.com is hosting a http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/me … 3.htm]2004 Perseid Meteor Gallery.  Includes a composite by Chris Peterson of Colorado --who captured 133 meteors on film in 3-1/2 hours' time.  "The dimmest are first magnitude and the brightest are magnitude -8, about 40 times brighter than Venus." Wow.

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)