BE SURE NOT TO MISS OUT ON THE METEOR SHOWERS THIS WEEKEND (LATE SUNDAY NIGHT - EARLY MONDAY MORNING).
TONIGHTS "NATURE'S FIREWORKS" SHOW, PROMISES TO BE A DAZZLING SHOW, PROVIDED YOU'RE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM CITY LIGHTS. WITH NO MOON IN SIGHT TO INTERFERE, SKYGAZERS CAN EXPECT TO SPOT STREAKING FIREBALLS LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY REGARDLESS OF TIME ZONE.
THIS WEEKEND'S PERSEID METEOR SHOWER COINSIDES WITH A NEW MOON, WHICH MEANS THE SKIES WILL BE DARK AND PERFECT FOR VIEWING METEORS.
In astronomical terminology, the New Moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth. At this time, the illuminated half of the Moon faces directly toward the Sun, and the dark or unilluminated portion of the Moon faces directly toward Earth, so that the Moon is invisible as seen from Earth.
AS A SPECIAL TREAT MARS WILL ALSO BE VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. MARS WILL BE VISIBLE AS A BRIGHT RED DOT IN THE NORTHEASTERN SKY.
ASTRONOMERS ESTIMATE AS MANY AS 60 METEORS PER HOUR COULD FLIT ACROSS THE SKY AT THE SHOWER'S PEAK.
THE PERSEID SHOWER GETS ITS NAME FROM THE CONSTELLATION PERSEUS BECAUSE THE METEORS APPEAR TO ORIGINATE THERE. THE ANNUAL PERSEID SHOWER OCCURS WHEN THE EARTH'S ORBIT CROSSES THE PATH OF DEBRIS THROWN OFF BY COMET SWIFT - TUTTLE. AS THE COSMIC JUNK, MANY THE SIZE OF RAIN OF SAND, ENTERS THE ATMOSPHERE, IT BURNS UP IN A FLASH, APPEARING AS "SHOOTING STARS" ACROSS THE SKY.
UNLIKE OTHER CELESTIAL SIGHTINGS THAT REQUIRE A TELESCOPE OR BINOCULARS, THE BEST WAY TO WATCH A METEOR SHOWES IS WITH THE NAKED EYE.
SINCE PERSEID METEORS CAN BE SEEN FROM ANY DIRECTION IN THE SKY, VIEWERS SHOULD PICK AN AREA WITH A OPEN SKY VIEW, A DARK PATCH OF SKY FREE OF LIGHT POLLUTION, LIE BACK, GAZE INTO THE STARS, BE PATIENT, AND WAIT FOR THE METEORS TO APPEAR. USUALLY STRAIGHT UP.
HAPPY VEIWING - ENJOY!
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6 years ago
3 comments:
I actually stayed up past my bedtime last night to watch. I could only last until like 11:30, and it wasn't going to be GREAT until the wee hours of the morning, but it was still cool. We saw TONS of stars, and we even saw a few shooting stars. It was pretty cool. I wish I wasn't such an old lady so I could have stayed up to see the REAL show, but what I saw was still awesome.
I am so bummed that I missed this, I really wanted to see it. We were all sick yesterday so we headed to bed fairly early. I bet it was awesome!
IT ACTUALLY LASTS THROUGH OUT MOST OF THE ENTIRE MONTH OF AUGUST. SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING WAS JUST GOING TO BE THE BEST TIME TO SEE IT BECAUSE OF THE NEW MOON. YEAH, IT REALLY WAS THE BEST IN MY OPINION ABOUT 1:30 A.M. MONDAY MORNING. BEFORE THAT IT WAS A LITTLE SLOW, AND SOMETIMES FAR IN BETWEEN.
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