Totally worth it, even just for one.
I ended up seeing three meteors last night-two were definitely Perseids, the other a stray from one of the lesser showers. I was facing East/North East at the time, with Cassiopeia to my left, and the rising moon to my right. The Perseid meteors I saw ripped through the sky from left to right (N to S), the other meteor I spotted was more West to East (from my POV).
I started out around 10pm-took a lawn chair and my handy can of OFF!, and sat outside for a bit. Not for very long, though-because it was very cloudy. Whatever break in the clouds that I had seen earlier quickly disappeared, frustrated, I went in about 10:30, and decided to give it another hour.
11:30pm I headed back out-it was still quite cloudy, but there seemed to be more breaks in the clouds than before, so I decided to sit it out. After about an hour (and a couple of close calls with a skunk), I went inside to grab a light sweater. (not that it would help with the skunk, but I just wanted to add that. Good think they’ve got that white stripe, otherwise I might've been singing a different tune.LOL-I think). Anyhoo, I came back out and sat for another hour. Around 1:15am a cat with a bell on his collar nearly gave me a heart attack as it had found something in my garage that startled it. Still frustrated, I readjusted my lawn chair and decided to give it a few more minutes. I was really glad I did-around 1:25am a bright Perseid ripped right across the sky!! I was so excited!! That one alone made it all worth while for me. Shortly there after, I spotted a dimmer meteor (the one going W to E). This was around 1:30am, so I decided to stay outside until 2 (yes, I'm insane-I think I got that from my father). Around 1:41 I spotted another Perseid. Three meteors!! Despite the clouds, light pollution (my neighbors stay up as late as me-go figure!), and the rising moon.
The forecast calls for clearer skies tonight (last time I checked, anyway), so I might try to sit outside after Game Night. Also, I’m taking Friday off, so even though the peak will have passed, I might sit outside after our gig Thursday night.
(image courteous of Sky and Telescope)
Oooh! I meant to post this article by the Bad Astronomer Phil Plait yesterday:
Tweeteor shower I love the Bad Astronomy blog. :)
I am definitely my father's daughter. ;)
I started out around 10pm-took a lawn chair and my handy can of OFF!, and sat outside for a bit. Not for very long, though-because it was very cloudy. Whatever break in the clouds that I had seen earlier quickly disappeared, frustrated, I went in about 10:30, and decided to give it another hour.
11:30pm I headed back out-it was still quite cloudy, but there seemed to be more breaks in the clouds than before, so I decided to sit it out. After about an hour (and a couple of close calls with a skunk), I went inside to grab a light sweater. (not that it would help with the skunk, but I just wanted to add that. Good think they’ve got that white stripe, otherwise I might've been singing a different tune.LOL-I think). Anyhoo, I came back out and sat for another hour. Around 1:15am a cat with a bell on his collar nearly gave me a heart attack as it had found something in my garage that startled it. Still frustrated, I readjusted my lawn chair and decided to give it a few more minutes. I was really glad I did-around 1:25am a bright Perseid ripped right across the sky!! I was so excited!! That one alone made it all worth while for me. Shortly there after, I spotted a dimmer meteor (the one going W to E). This was around 1:30am, so I decided to stay outside until 2 (yes, I'm insane-I think I got that from my father). Around 1:41 I spotted another Perseid. Three meteors!! Despite the clouds, light pollution (my neighbors stay up as late as me-go figure!), and the rising moon.
The forecast calls for clearer skies tonight (last time I checked, anyway), so I might try to sit outside after Game Night. Also, I’m taking Friday off, so even though the peak will have passed, I might sit outside after our gig Thursday night.
(image courteous of Sky and Telescope)
Oooh! I meant to post this article by the Bad Astronomer Phil Plait yesterday:
Tweeteor shower I love the Bad Astronomy blog. :)
I am definitely my father's daughter. ;)
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