Meteor Shower Tonight (8/12) For Those Interested. Options

Tonight in the Northern Hemisphere, not sure what times for Europe, but in the US, Perseids meteor shower tonight, 8est-early Friday. 60/hr ratio.

Tonight in the Northern Hemisphere, not sure what times for Europe, but in the US, Perseids meteor shower tonight, 8est-early Friday. 60/hr ratio.

Hadn't heard about this. Isn't there supposed to be something happening with Mars on the 27th?

Thanks,
Rae

This post has been edited by Rae: Aug 12 2010, 01:19 PM

Hadn't heard about this. Isn't there supposed to be something happening with Mars on the 27th?

Thanks,
Rae

Not sure about Mars, I'll check, but if you can't see the meteor shower, there should be a vid and pics on NASA. I get updated for stuff like this from them, because I love watching the night sky.


Edit: About your Mars question, here's a link from NASA about it. http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2005/07jul_marshoax/

Apparently people are saying that Mars will appear the size of the moon or something similar, but it won't be that big. In 2003, it was closest to the moon it's been in forever, something like that, the article makes more sense.

This post has been edited by Bran: Aug 12 2010, 01:37 PM

Not sure about Mars, I'll check, but if you can't see the meteor shower, there should be a vid and pics on NASA. I get updated for stuff like this from them, because I love watching the night sky.
Edit: About your Mars question, here's a link from NASA about it.http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2005/07jul_marshoax/

Apparently people are saying that Mars will appear the size of the moon or something similar, but it won't be that big. In 2003, it was closest to the moon it's been in forever, something like that, the article makes more sense.

I think the sky might be too bright still (central time).

I got a forward about it, but I didn't know. Wouldn't that be a sight, Mars being so close?
Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

I think the sky might be too bright still (central time).

I got a forward about it, but I didn't know. Wouldn't that be a sight, Mars being so close?
Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

If Mars got that close, you'd probably see people going insane, haha. I don't know how well anyone would handle Mars the size of the moon all of a sudden. It would fit too well with the Bible's interpretation of the apocalypse with the moon "going red as blood". Lol.

Here's some more general information about the meteor shower tonight, might help you figure out a time for Canada if you're interested, Rae.

The Perseid meteor shower is an annual meteor shower that is extremely regular in its timing and can potentially be visible for weeks in the late summer sky, depending on weather and location.

The Perseid meteor shower is named after the constellation Perseus, which is located in roughly the same point of the night sky where the Perseid meteor shower appears to originate from. This is a useful naming convention, but not very accurate!

The source of the Perseid meteor shower is actually debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. Every year, the earth passes through the debris cloud left by the comet when the earth's atmosphere is bombarded by what is popularly known as "falling stars."

When and where to look for Perseids

Because of the way the earth hits this debris cloud, the Perseid meteor shower is much more visible in the Northern hemisphere.

People in Canada, for instance, can see the meteor shower by mid-July, but generally there isn't much activity at such an early date. Throughout Europe, the US and the rest of North America, meteor shower activity usually peaks sometime around August 12th, when it is not unusual to see at least 60 meteors per hour streaking across the Northeast sky.

The meteors are certainly bright, but they are actually only tiny objects, usually no more than a grain of sand. They travel at speeds of 71 kilometers per second, however, which helps these small particles put on such a brilliant show year after year.

The Perseid meteor showers were observed as far back as two thousand years ago, and in ancient Europe, the Perseid meteor shower was known as the "Tears of St. Lawrence."

If Mars got that close, you'd probably see people going insane, haha. I don't know how well anyone would handle Mars the size of the moon all of a sudden. It would fit too well with the Bible's interpretation of the apocalypse with the moon "going red as blood". Lol.

Here's some more general information about the meteor shower tonight, might help you figure out a time for Canada if you're interested, Rae.

So I wasn't losing my mind when I saw a 'falling star' more often then what I'm used to! Thanks, Bran, for that. I usually wish on them, since I don't see shooting stars much.

No kidding. When I went to the Black Hills for a holiday, there were Christian signs EVERYWHERE. In their terms, 'all hell would break loose'. Wouldn't want to get in the middle of that, woul you? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/black eye.gif)

So I wasn't losing my mind when I saw a 'falling star' more often then what I'm used to! Thanks, Bran, for that. I usually wish on them, since I don't see shooting stars much.

No kidding. When I went to the Black Hills for a holiday, there were Christian signs EVERYWHERE. In their terms, 'all hell would break loose'. Wouldn't want to get in the middle of that, woul you? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/black eye.gif)

You may have still been losing your mind. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/angel.gif) Lol, I kidding.

But yeah, they can get rather...furious sometimes. They scare me in large upset groups with their hive mind, haha.

Mars that close would be amazing. But thanks for the heads up on the shower I'll make sure to check it out since I am around this side of the earth

Too cloudy here, could vaguely see the stars. Oh well, gotta look for the Mars thing now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I know, same here. It's just really cloudy and a lot of lightning. I'm still going out there with my friend Sarah just in case. If nothing else it's nice to spend the night in the open air with a close friend. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)