Baby Hercules Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 If you have a clear sky at night from midnight Thursday through Saturday morning before dawn, you can see the peak of the 2010 Perseid meteor shower. It will be good viewing this year because the moon will be in crescent phase and not brightening the sky too much. Take a sleeping bag out into the back yard and watch the ultimate Discovery Channel broadcasting live right over your head! http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/05aug_perseids/ Baby Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 Cool, thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegan Joe Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 Trippy watching with a friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 I'm thinking about driving up to our nearest volcano, Mt. Hood, and camping out in the truck so I can watch it in a totally pure, black sky away from all the city lights. Yummy! Baby Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 I saw one last night! Super cool, makes you feel like a little kid again. Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsorlando Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 Cool I will try to view it! I saw a meteor shower about 10 years ago that was from something having to do with Leos. On my birthday a couple of years ago there was a meteor shower from Haleys Comet. I couldn't see anything but I thought that it was pretty cool since my name is Hayley, and it was my birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 12, 2010 Author Share Posted August 12, 2010 Cool I will try to view it! I saw a meteor shower about 10 years ago that was from something having to do with Leos. On my birthday a couple of years ago there was a meteor shower from Haleys Comet. I couldn't see anything but I thought that it was pretty cool since my name is Hayley, and it was my birthday. Sweet, Haley, you're famous! The meteor shower you saw was probably the Leonids. They are the most dramatic shower of all, even if they do force you to bundle up and stand outside in frigid November. (teeth chattering) Baby Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Oh, man, I saw some big "shooters," as the astronomers call them, last night. I went to three places. First, I climbed the hill at a huge cemetery we have on top of a ridge. You can see the city laid out below, so there was a little too much light pollution. Also, the place was rife with teenagers with other things on their minds than looking up at the sky. Hint, hint, wink, wink. Then I headed out to a rural island in the river with a lot fewer lights and a lot more mosquitoes. I parked right off the road next to a field. The night air was sweet with clover. Running out into the middle of the road to avoid the skeeters, then running back again every few minutes to dodge passing cars got old after twenty minutes, though. Finally, I settled on the beach of the river a few miles down. All sand, no skeeters (okay, one), and the perfect view of the northwest sky. Balmy breezes, lapping river waves, and the occasional far off train blowing its horn made me want to lay down and sleep there. Luckily, I came to my senses and made it home by 1 AM. Now, I get to find out how many cups of coffee it takes to get me into the gym this morning.... [Edit] Answer: two cups, extra-strong Baby Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Where are all the videos I was promised? I will DDT your family onto a bike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Where are all the videos I was promised? I will DDT your family onto a bike What the--? Are you in the right thread? Baby Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Funny you call this "meteor shower" in English. A shower, really ? In French we call it "pluie d' étoiles filantes" which would be "Meteor rain" or more exactly "shooting stars rain". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Funny you call this "meteor shower" in English. A shower, really ? In French we call it "pluie d' étoiles filantes" which would be "Meteor rain" or more exactly "shooting stars rain". I like "meteor rain" more than "shower." The truth is, it goes like this, "Wow, that meteoroid NASA was tracking just entered the Earth's atmosphere and it's producing a gorgeous meteor! I hope I find the meteorite tomorrow morning on the ground. If it rains, I won't have to take a shower." (snicker) Baby Herc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsorlando Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 What time did you see them the best? I want to try to view it tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Hercules Posted August 14, 2010 Author Share Posted August 14, 2010 What time did you see them the best? I want to try to view it tonight. You're in luck--they're still going on right now, 24/7. You'll see them best when it's darkest, so wait until at least 10 PM and find a place as far as you can get from the city and any lights. If you must watch them from in town, go out to the middle of a field or park and shield your eyes from all the lights that you can see from there. Give yourself about 15 minutes to totally acclimate to the dark and keep a sharp eye out. There will be tiny, thread-like meteors only a fraction of a second in duration all the way up to large, thick ones that last a full second and leave an after image across the sky. I saw half a dozen of those last night! Woo-HOO! Have fun! Baby Herc PS: Bring a jacket and/or blanket. It gets colder than you think when you're laying down, not moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 Where are all the videos I was promised? I will DDT your family onto a bike What the--? Are you in the right thread? Baby HercSorry, I was just screwing around, I just meant that I'd like to see some videos of it, as I missed the event Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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