Just saw my first EVER Shooting Star

[shelleyd2008]

I'll have to remember this for tonight, I don't think I've ever seen a shooting star.

My luck the weather will be crappy, it's rained the past 2 nights after dark.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I'm staying up a little later tonight to see if it starts early. They are saying that it is supposed to start around 5 am here on the east coast. I'm a science and nature freak, so this is really exciting for me!

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

Quote:
Its a meteor shower. Up to 200 per hour

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

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Its best to be in an open field or somewhere where you can see most of the sky. They will be all over and from one horizon to the other. Not just straight up

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Rooster Cogburn Jr. :

Quote:
Its best to be in an open field or somewhere where you can see most of the sky. They will be all over and from one horizon to the other. Not just straight up

"For sky watchers in North America, the watch begins after nightfall on August 11th and continues until sunrise on the 12th. Veteran observers suggest the following strategy: Unfold a blanket on a flat patch of ground. (Note: The middle of your street is not a good choice.) Lie down and look up. Perseids can appear in any part of the sky, their tails all pointing back to the shower's radiant in the constellation Perseus. Get away from city lights if you can.

There is one light you cannot escape on August 12th. The 55% gibbous Moon will glare down from the constellation Aries just next door to the shower's radiant in Perseus. The Moon is beautiful, but don't stare at it. Bright moonlight ruins night vision and it will wipe out any faint Perseids in that part of the sky.

The Moon is least troublesome during the early evening hours of August 11th. Around 9 to 11 p.m. local time (your local time), both Perseus and the Moon will be hanging low in the north. This low profile reduces lunar glare while positioning the shower's radiant for a nice display of Earthgrazers.

"Earthgrazers are meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond," explains Cooke. "They are long, slow and colorful—among the most beautiful of meteors." He notes that an hour of watching may net only a few of these at most, but seeing even one can make the whole night worthwhile.

The Perseids are coming. Enjoy the show."

www.nasa.gov

Above: Looking northeast around midnight on August 11th-12th. The red dot is the Perseid radiant. Although Perseid meteors can appear in any part of the sky, all of their tails will point back to the radiant. Image from Spaceweather.com​

 

[key west chick]

Crud. Its sprinkling and thundering now. Course, its only 8:47.

 

[debilorrah]

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Like the OP said this is the annual Perseid meteor shower coming from the direction of Perseus. Look at your constellations to find him and you will know what direction they are coming from.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Its best to be in an open field or somewhere where you can see most of the sky. They will be all over and from one horizon to the other. Not just straight up

"For sky watchers in North America, the watch begins after nightfall on August 11th and continues until sunrise on the 12th. Veteran observers suggest the following strategy: Unfold a blanket on a flat patch of ground. (Note: The middle of your street is not a good choice.) Lie down and look up. Perseids can appear in any part of the sky, their tails all pointing back to the shower's radiant in the constellation Perseus. Get away from city lights if you can.

There is one light you cannot escape on August 12th. The 55% gibbous Moon will glare down from the constellation Aries just next door to the shower's radiant in Perseus. The Moon is beautiful, but don't stare at it. Bright moonlight ruins night vision and it will wipe out any faint Perseids in that part of the sky.

The Moon is least troublesome during the early evening hours of August 11th. Around 9 to 11 p.m. local time (your local time), both Perseus and the Moon will be hanging low in the north. This low profile reduces lunar glare while positioning the shower's radiant for a nice display of Earthgrazers.

"Earthgrazers are meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond," explains Cooke. "They are long, slow and colorful—among the most beautiful of meteors." He notes that an hour of watching may net only a few of these at most, but seeing even one can make the whole night worthwhile.

The Perseids are coming. Enjoy the show."

www.nasa.gov

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/6809_perseid_map2_450.gif

Above: Looking northeast around midnight on August 11th-12th. The red dot is the Perseid radiant. Although Perseid meteors can appear in any part of the sky, all of their tails will point back to the radiant. Image from Spaceweather.com

Oops - I answered before I saw this. By the way, from everything I have read, you still have a chance at a shot at seeing this until midnight on the 13th...

 

[DeerFangRanch]

Headed outside right now (at 9,500 feet we have a chance of catching a few

)

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

If anybody gets pictures of them, I want to see! It is cloudy here now and can't see a thing! I wish they made noises or something so I can get to hear them at least.

So, I guess I'm going to bed. I'll be back up early to check again.