Comments on: Sky showers http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:10:29 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tony in Ky http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6118 Tony in Ky Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:12:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6118 Finally after 40+ years of waiting to see the Perseid's under crystal clear conditions, my wife & I were able to see approx 20-30 per hour on the 11th. Several were very brilliant, along with colorful shades of pale green and even yellow tint. I've enjoyed being an amateur astronomer since the mid 60's, while living in the suburbs of Chicago. Now being located in rural Ky, the light pollution is almost nothing compared to the smog & light pollution in Chicago. Anyway just glad to have stumbled upon your blog and have added to my bookmarks for further reference on astronomical events. Looking forward to the Alpha & Gamma Aquarids coming up through September 1-14, not very big shower. I will be looking up if the weather permits. Finally after 40+ years of waiting to see the Perseid’s under crystal clear conditions, my wife & I were able to see approx 20-30 per hour on the 11th.
Several were very brilliant, along with colorful shades of pale green and even yellow tint. I’ve enjoyed being an amateur astronomer since the mid 60’s, while living in the suburbs of Chicago.

Now being located in rural Ky, the light pollution is almost nothing compared to the smog & light pollution in Chicago.
Anyway just glad to have stumbled upon your blog and have added to my bookmarks for further reference on astronomical events.

Looking forward to the Alpha & Gamma Aquarids coming up through September 1-14, not very big shower. I will be looking up if the weather permits.

]]> By: Megan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6117 Megan Tue, 16 Aug 2005 10:09:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6117 In Yorkshire it was cloudy early on Friday evening, but cleared up nicely by 11pm. It was worth the effort of geting away from light pollution for the weekend: we saw lots of Perseids, and the seeing was good too, the Milky Way is rarely that sharp. In Yorkshire it was cloudy early on Friday evening, but cleared up nicely by 11pm. It was worth the effort of geting away from light pollution for the weekend: we saw lots of Perseids, and the seeing was good too, the Milky Way is rarely that sharp.

]]> By: kara http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6116 kara Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:14:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6116 Saturday night - Watched from my back field ( Oregon) only saw one streak, but it was a beauty! (Always enjoy your posts :) Saturday night – Watched from my back field ( Oregon) only saw one streak, but it was a beauty!
(Always enjoy your posts :)

]]> By: Doug McElroy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6115 Doug McElroy Mon, 15 Aug 2005 15:30:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6115 I got up early Friday morning to look. Darn that marine layer! Like a gray dome in the sky. I live in East LA county. Yeah I should have gone over the mountains to Palmdale or the like, but I had to work Friday & Saturday. I got up early Friday morning to look. Darn that marine layer! Like a
gray dome in the sky. I live in East LA county. Yeah I should have gone
over the mountains to Palmdale or the like, but I had to work Friday &
Saturday.

]]> By: Nukescientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6114 Nukescientist Sun, 14 Aug 2005 20:10:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6114 Hi, I'm from Singapore. Was pretty cloudy over here too. But my friends n I managed to catch a fireball so bright it's glow could be seen behind the patchy low clouds. Really cool!! Hi, I’m from Singapore. Was pretty cloudy over here too. But my friends n I managed to catch a fireball so bright it’s glow could be seen behind the patchy low clouds. Really cool!!

]]> By: CR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6113 CR Sun, 14 Aug 2005 16:20:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6113 Hey, I think the pair of meteors streaking beside each other would have been cool enough... how unique! (And certainly better than the clouds I saw both nights.) In the past, I've witnessed meteors break up as they streak across the sky. The coolest one I saw wasn't even during a shower, but just happened one night last summer while I was driving home. It occurred "right in front of me," which is to say that I never would have seen it if I hadn't been looking forward at the road. Anyway, it was bright greenish in color, and from my viewing angle appeared to be in a straight vertical dive. Suddenly, it got brighter, the color changing to a yellowish-white, and just as suddenly, the whole thing broke apart into four or five fragments that continued to fall before fading from view. Way cool! Hey, I think the pair of meteors streaking beside each other would have been cool enough… how unique! (And certainly better than the clouds I saw both nights.)
In the past, I’ve witnessed meteors break up as they streak across the sky. The coolest one I saw wasn’t even during a shower, but just happened one night last summer while I was driving home. It occurred “right in front of me,” which is to say that I never would have seen it if I hadn’t been looking forward at the road. Anyway, it was bright greenish in color, and from my viewing angle appeared to be in a straight vertical dive. Suddenly, it got brighter, the color changing to a yellowish-white, and just as suddenly, the whole thing broke apart into four or five fragments that continued to fall before fading from view. Way cool!

]]> By: HawaiiArmenian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/comment-page-1/#comment-6112 HawaiiArmenian Sun, 14 Aug 2005 11:54:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/08/12/sky-showers/#comment-6112 I live in Honolulu, and even under the bright city lights of Downtown Honolulu, I managed to see quite a few Perseids. Nice clear skies definately helped. Especially amazing was a pair streaking parellel to each other. Kind of an underwhelming year for Perseids though. Not the best shower I've witnessed in recent years. Oh well, can't expect an amazing show every year. I live in Honolulu, and even under the bright city lights of Downtown Honolulu, I managed to see quite a few Perseids. Nice clear skies definately helped. Especially amazing was a pair streaking parellel to each other. Kind of an underwhelming year for Perseids though. Not the best shower I’ve witnessed in recent years. Oh well, can’t expect an amazing show every year.

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