redagainPatti's WunderBlog

PERSEID METEOR SHOWER

Posted by: redagainPatti, 07:58 PM GMT del 11 Agosto 2012

THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY:
Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Worldwide observers are now reporting more than 30 Perseids per hour, a number that could triple during the weekend when Earth reaches the heart of the debris zone. Forecasters recommend looking during the dark hours before dawn, especially Sunday morning, August 12th, when activity is expected to be highest.

AND

While this is a great weekend for watching meteors--but that's not all. Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon are lining up in the pre-dawn sky right in the middle of the Perseid display. The conjunction of planets guarantees that you will see something beautiful even in the unlikely event that the shower fizzles. ...

As for me... My son-in-law is taking me along with the rest of the family out in a boat to the middle of the biggest body of water down in the Jackson area to watch the sky tonight!!

Heads UP folks!!

UPDATE from the night of August 11th -
My kids took me out on the boat to the Ross Barnett Reservoir known as "The Rez" to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower. It was the best we could do in order to get away from the lights of the Jackson area.

We went out a little after 9:30 and came back in around 12:30. Most of what we saw were just small scratches on the sky. We saw three big and long ones and one.. only one, left a long trail in the sky afterwards.

The son-in-law, Danny saw it first and called our attention to it almost directly overhead. He said if he held his hand out, the star was about the size of the nail on his thumb. What I know for sure is the trail lasted for almost a minute as it slowly faded away.

As we were leaving the area, I spied another marking the sky with a trail as long as a hand span wide. At least as long as MY hand span and with it held at the end of my arm's reach.

I have seen more of the shooting stars on other years but at least we did see a few. I would had love to just stay out all night and even sleep there but Danny said no because we had to have a light on if we did that so other boats would not run into us.

We did have one other boat come by us and as soon as we heard the sound of their motor, the bright white light was turned back on at the back of the boat. This light was kept on at all times when we were traveling over the waters. ... some rule of the water ways, it seems.

I rather there had been bright lights at the head of the boat so I could had looked out over the dark waters. It was a little scary at first not being able to see details in the waters ahead of us but then.. this was a large open body of water, about 33,000-acres in size and we were out in the middle of it. I was glad I was not driving the boat. I just laid back and fixed my eyes on the sky about and waited for shooting stars.

We will see if we try this again on Sunday night.. will let you all know..

Permalink | A A A

Top of Page

Reader Comments

Display: 0, 50, 100, 200

Sort: Newest First - Order Posted

Viewing: 1 - 14

Page: 1 — Blog Index

1. LowerCal 07:36 AM GMT del 12 Agosto 2012
Thanks for the heads up! I hope you're having a wonderful time on the boat. Member Since: Luglio 26, 2006 Posts: 58 Comments: 8972

2. Proserpina 09:42 AM GMT del 12 Agosto 2012
Good morning. After reading about the meteor shower, I went outside and looked at the East sky. It is clouded over and nothing can be seen, not even the moon. Not to mention that there are lots of trees in the way. Maybe some other time. I hope that your boat ride gave you the opportunity to see something beautiful. Member Since: Maggio 6, 2008 Posts: 152 Comments: 16725

3. GardenGrrl 09:56 AM GMT del 12 Agosto 2012
Thanks. Was looking while walking dog...using the Sky-Map app on the phone. No meteors, but the moon looks cool. Member Since: Marzo 25, 2007 Posts: 218 Comments: 7252

4. redagainPatti 01:43 PM GMT del 12 Agosto 2012
Hey darling LowerCal, Thanks for dropping in and leaving a note. It was fun and scary too as we first headed out over the dark waters of the lake. Hope you got a chance to see a few. Dear Proserpina, I never saw the moon during our time and there was like a fog ring around us as the night grew on. The best place to look was dead on, right overhead. We did catch a few lower in the sky but most were on the east and south part of the overhead area. Sweet GardenGrrl, what time were you outside? I never saw the moon at all. I wished we could had stayed all night... even after we left the waters and reached home, I was awake for a few more hours! I had such fun with the kids. However the shower was not as much as some I have seen in years past. The best nights for me seem to come a few days before what they say to be at the peak. Member Since: Luglio 10, 2005 Posts: 116 Comments: 1453

5. LowerCal 07:19 PM GMT del 12 Agosto 2012
Patti, I'm glad you got to see a few meteors and had such fun. I gave it up about 1:30am under mostly cloudy skies. I'll give it another try early tomorrow morning. Sometimes with the Perseids I have some luck after the main peak. Member Since: Luglio 26, 2006 Posts: 58 Comments: 8972

6. ycd0108 03:12 PM GMT del 13 Agosto 2012
Morning Patti: I saw one decent meteor in the middle of the night and the crescent moon lined up with Venus and Jupiter. I have to go now and correct my comments because I had guessed Mars and not Jupiter in the line up. Member Since: Gennaio 1, 2008 Posts: 142 Comments: 3444

7. MTWX 04:07 AM GMT del 14 Agosto 2012
Was out in Caledonia Saturday night. Saw quite a few meteors including a few large long track ones, but like Lower Cal, I called it a night around 1:30-2:00. So I didn't get to see the planetary line up with the shower. Member Since: Luglio 20, 2009 Posts: 22 Comments: 1215

8. Beachfoxx 10:33 PM GMT del 14 Agosto 2012
Did you find FlatBug yet?? Member Since: Luglio 10, 2005 Posts: 153 Comments: 29285

9. redagainPatti 12:59 AM GMT del 16 Agosto 2012
Yes I did... thanks for asking... she is off on a trip and might be back in time to travel to me to hike along on my trip... will see. Member Since: Luglio 10, 2005 Posts: 116 Comments: 1453

10. redagainPatti 09:04 AM GMT del 16 Agosto 2012
Well the luck was not with me. I was able to catch a few late Sunday night but on Monday, we had storms move in over head with the clouds. Tuesday, I was back home but too wore out to get outside to look for any falling stars. Later I found out it was still pretty cloudy. On Thursday early morning hours, I went out to find the clouds were still hanging overhead.. just a few cracks of the dark sky and about three stars could be found. ... Oh well, I will just have to watch for the next time. Or maybe tonight... as sometimes the nights before and afterwards can be a real treat... Note- they tell us this was the peak time... not the one and only time of viewing.. Good luck to you all! LowerCal I hope you had better luck! ycd0108 Yeah! and even the line up of the planets to boot! Grads!!! MTWX Yeah! I love the long and large ones as many times, there is a trail left behind that shines for a while much like our fireworks sometimes leave trails. KEEP LOOKING UPWARD... you may still see a show. Member Since: Luglio 10, 2005 Posts: 116 Comments: 1453

11. Proserpina 01:17 AM GMT del 18 Agosto 2012
Member Since: Maggio 6, 2008 Posts: 152 Comments: 16725

12. OtherBug 07:42 PM GMT del 20 Agosto 2012
See you soon {{{Patti}}} Member Since: Luglio 6, 2010 Posts: 7 Comments: 58

13. redagainPatti 11:04 PM GMT del 21 Agosto 2012
Watching out for you darling Bug!! Member Since: Luglio 10, 2005 Posts: 116 Comments: 1453

14. Proserpina 04:40 PM GMT del 01 Settembre 2012
"The breezes taste Of apple peel. The air is full Of smells to feel- Ripe fruit, old footballs, Burning brush, New books, erasers, Chalk, and such. The bee, his hive, Well-honeyed hum, And Mother cuts Chrysanthemums. Like plates washed clean With suds, the days Are polished with A morning haze. " - John Updike, September Member Since: Maggio 6, 2008 Posts: 152 Comments: 16725

Viewing: 1 - 14

Page: 1 — Blog Index

Top of Page

New Comment

Community Standards Policy Comments will take a few seconds to appear.

Post Your Comments

Please sign in to post comments.

or Join

Not only will you be able to leave comments on this blog, but you'll also have the ability to upload and share your photos in our Wunder Photos section.

About redagainPatti