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The Meteors You've Waited All Year For

Posted by timothy on from the now-with-more-supermoon dept.

StartsWithABang (3485481) writes It's finally here! Sure, we witnessed the birth of a new meteor shower earlier this year, but it was a flop. Many other showers have come-and-gone like they do every year, but none of them have given us a significant number of meteors-per-hour. But even with a near-full Moon out, it's finally time for the Perseids, the most reliable meteor shower year-after-year. Here's where to find them, where they come from and a whole lot more, including some surprising facts about where they don't come from: cometary tails!

17 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. Not going to matter with a full moon by mozumder · · Score: 1

    Perseids are great, but, as with all meteor showers, only looks good without a moon.

  2. Has /. become an outlet for "startswithabang" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Don't you guys think that this "starswithabang" thing is getting too dominant in /. article listing ?

  3. Ah, so that's why! by EvilSS · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wondered why it was suddenly completely overcast where I live! Seriously, it's like mother nature hates me seeing meteor showers. Every time....

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    I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
    1. Re:Ah, so that's why! by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      I wondered why it was suddenly completely overcast where I live!

      They will not peak until Aug 12-13th, so the weather may clear by then. The meteor shower should continue until about Aug 24th.

    2. Re:Ah, so that's why! by tquasar · · Score: 1

      Night and morning low clouds and fog.... That's the coastal forecast here for much of the time. I have a small 'scope and giant binoc's so sometimes I'll drive 40 miles to a large parking area along a mountain road to view the sky.

    3. Re:Ah, so that's why! by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      Around where I live, this will be the first summer in 10-15 years where it hasn't been overcast, raining, or foggy. Gotta love the unpredictable weather of the great lakes. It's pretty much the same thing with seeing aurora's, people down as far south as Atlanta will see it, but everyone in the great lakes area you can bet will have overcast skies with a chance of thunderstorms, snow, or it simply being overcast.

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      Om, nomnomnom...
    4. Re:Ah, so that's why! by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      So I should expect overcast conditions for most of August then is what you are telling me?

      --
      I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
  4. Re:Um, they're going to be awful this year by StupendousMan · · Score: 2

    When the Moon is full, it rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. Each day, the Moon rises (and sets) about one hour later. So, 2 or 3 days after the full Moon, the Moon will rise 2 or 3 hours after sunset, and set 2 or 3 hours after sunrise.

    Which means that, after midnight, the Moon will be high in the sky, ruining the view of the Perseids. It will not "set several hours before dawn."

    In short, the response above is wrong.

    --
    Michael Richmond "This is the heart that broke my finger."
    mwrsps@rit.edu http://stupendous.rit.edu
  5. Re:Um, they're going to be awful this year by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Moonset on the 13th is well after dawn.

  6. It's been raining all night by sjames · · Score: 1

    you insensitive clod.

    It's predicted to be cloudy and rainy for the next 7 days. I guess I know why now.

  7. A better use of nukes by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    Let's nuke a timely comet to get an 1833-style show.

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    Table-ized A.I.
  8. Re:It's interesting how... by gl4ss · · Score: 1

    move somewhere with loooong daaaark niiiights.

    finland or whatever.

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    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  9. The Meteors *I've* Waited All Year For? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    The Meteors You've Waited All Year For

    I haven't waited all year for them. I'm really not sure who you're talking to.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  10. Re:It's interesting how... by gl4ss · · Score: 1

    Finland?
    Isn't that where all the Vikings and Linux developers fled from in order to avoid suicidal thoughts?
    No wonder they go berserk from time to time.

    Well, yes, that Finland. except for Vikings, they're from the other side of the gulf - But, instead of choosing to conquer Finland they went to raise hell in mothafucking Spain so take that as what you will(then later they came over the gulf).

    You sure can see the stars in winter if you're in the Finnish countryside though! so shooting stars are no ufo's, even if they don't make every wish come true.

    For the record I've been in Thailand for 10 months on escape from the winter wonderland. food sure is spicy but I haven't had to bother with socks in months...

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    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  11. Re:It's interesting how... by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

    Perhaps you have poor vision? I saw one tonight accidentally while taking the garbage out.

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  12. Re:It's interesting how... by Deadstick · · Score: 2

    You may be expecting too much. Most meteors go by too fast to see motion, because they're close: you just see a faint white line that appears and persists for less than a second. You see these mostly overhead.

    If a meteor does show motion, that means it's far away (hence low rate of movement through your FOV), and bright enough to be seen through many miles of atmosphere (hence considerably bigger than average). You see these near the horizon.

    If one moves slowly enough that you can say "Hey, look at that" and other people can turn and catch sight of it, it's a BIG mutha.

  13. Not going to matter with a full moon by dotsandlines · · Score: 1

    Oh, but NASA's PR says it will be just keen to watch Perseids with a SUPERMOON in the sky. ::facepalm::