*Ø* Blogmanac August 13 | Look for Perseid meteor showers
The Perseid meteor showers are peaking at this time of year (generally visible between July 23 and August 22, peaking around August 13) and can yield 50-60 meteors in an hour. The best time to view them is generally in the first hours after midnight. However, as the moon is full, the viewing this year will be somewhat hampered. Still, if you can get away from city lights you might see this annual show.
In England the meteors used to be called ‘fiery tears of St Lawrence’ as they fell on his feast day (August 10), and also related to the torments of the martyr.
“Perseid activity increases sharply in the hours after midnight, so plan your observing times accordingly. If time is short, you can simply set your alarm for 3 a.m. and watch the last couple hours of the event. We are then looking more nearly face-on into the direction of the Earth’s motion as it orbits the Sun, and the radiant is also higher up, so viewing conditions are optimal …
“Many years ago, a phone call came into New York’s Hayden Planetarium. The caller sounded concerned about a radio announcement of an upcoming Perseid display and wanted to know if it would be dangerous to stay outdoors on the night of the peak of the shower (perhaps assuming there was a danger of getting hit). These meteoroids, however, are no bigger than sand grains or pebbles, have the consistency of cigar ash and are consumed many miles above our heads.
“The caller was passed along to the Planetarium’s chief astronomer, who commented that there are only two dangers from Perseid watching: getting drenched with dew and falling asleep.” Source
More on the Perseids
Were meteor showers responsible for omens in ancient sacred texts?
* Ø * Ø * Ø *
No Wilson's Almanac ezine today
Sorry, but it looks like my ISP's POP server is down and I have no emails today. Which is handy because I slept in, too. So I'm taking the opportunity for a day off from the ezine today.
The Perseid meteor showers are peaking at this time of year (generally visible between July 23 and August 22, peaking around August 13) and can yield 50-60 meteors in an hour. The best time to view them is generally in the first hours after midnight. However, as the moon is full, the viewing this year will be somewhat hampered. Still, if you can get away from city lights you might see this annual show.
In England the meteors used to be called ‘fiery tears of St Lawrence’ as they fell on his feast day (August 10), and also related to the torments of the martyr.
“Perseid activity increases sharply in the hours after midnight, so plan your observing times accordingly. If time is short, you can simply set your alarm for 3 a.m. and watch the last couple hours of the event. We are then looking more nearly face-on into the direction of the Earth’s motion as it orbits the Sun, and the radiant is also higher up, so viewing conditions are optimal …
“Many years ago, a phone call came into New York’s Hayden Planetarium. The caller sounded concerned about a radio announcement of an upcoming Perseid display and wanted to know if it would be dangerous to stay outdoors on the night of the peak of the shower (perhaps assuming there was a danger of getting hit). These meteoroids, however, are no bigger than sand grains or pebbles, have the consistency of cigar ash and are consumed many miles above our heads.
“The caller was passed along to the Planetarium’s chief astronomer, who commented that there are only two dangers from Perseid watching: getting drenched with dew and falling asleep.” Source
More on the Perseids
Were meteor showers responsible for omens in ancient sacred texts?
No Wilson's Almanac ezine today
Sorry, but it looks like my ISP's POP server is down and I have no emails today. Which is handy because I slept in, too. So I'm taking the opportunity for a day off from the ezine today.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 2:07 PM | Permalink
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home