August 11-12 : Perseid Meteor Shower

[Dover]

Peak activity

The best meteor display of the summer comes during the second week of August.

The annual Perseid shower, at its peak around the nights of Aug. 11 and 12, is capable of producing 50 to 100 fast, bright meteors per hour for a single observer under clear, dark skies. Any city or suburban lighting can reduce these numbers dramatically.

The year 2005 will be a very good year to watch for the Perseids, chiefly because bright moonlight will not interfere; the nearly first-quarter moon will set before midnight, leaving the rest of the night dark for prospective meteor watchers.

The only equipment you'll need is your eyes and a modest amount of patience.

The very first forerunners of the Perseid shower began to appear around July 17. Try watching for them after the waxing moon has left the sky, leaving the predawn hours dark. You'll only see a few per hour at best, but the numbers will begin to ramp up during the second week of August. The last Perseid stragglers may still be noted as late as Aug. 24.

And more ...
To go along with the Perseids, there are at least ten other minor meteor displays that are active at various times during July and August. ..cont'd

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8752008/

[SteppingRazor]

1. You'll need your eyes, a modest amount of patience...

And you'll need to get the hell out of Dodge. Go way out in the sticks, out in the middle of nowhere. Bring some beer. Make a campfire. It's worth it. :thumbsup:

[Desertrose]

2. I live out in the dark sky country.....but the darn monsoons

always decide to give us sweet clouds & rains on those dates!

:banghead:

On the few years we've been lucky...yeah...helluva show!!

[Up2Late]

3. Just a Tip to all interested, you need to be 50 to 100 miles away...

...from any major city or major town (over 30,000 pop.), or you will be disappointed.

Also, if it's Hazy or Foggy where you are, don't bother unless you're very patient. You won't see much in those situations.

[soothsayer]

4. When's the shuttle going to try to land?

[Celebration]

5. Aug. 8

"The shuttle is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 4:46 a.m. local time Aug. 8."


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aM2oK3nPdHUY&refer=us

Hope it isn't delayed.

[Astarho]

6. The one time of year

here in AZ where the nights are cloudy. :grr:

[Cicero]

7. My birthday is August 11th

I remember one year when I was still in college. I and a group of my friends stayed out late in a field lying on the ground looking up watching for meteors. It was a pretty good show, at least one really good meteor every couple of minutes, and a lot of short flashes throughout. Just shy of midnight everyone sung "Happy Birthday". About fifteen minutes later there was a big one, green-yellow and going all the way from one side of the sky to the other.

Good times.

Later,