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Milehimama
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| Posted: Aug 11 2009 at 8:07pm | IP Logged
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Tonight and tomorrow are supposed to be the best nights for viewing, because of the new moon.
I wrote up a post on it with some links:
Meteor Shower Tonight
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Milehimama in Houston
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 12 2009 at 1:28am | IP Logged
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 I love the Perseids - the "Tears of St. Lawrence" as they are also sometimes called. Lots of fond summer time memories of watching the meteor shower. We spent some time out veiwing tonight and saw a few. Unfortunately there is too much light pollution around here to see much anyway. I was actually disappointed this year that the moon wasn't going to cooperate. The new moon isn't 'til next week when it's past the peak, so it's still pretty bright waning gibbous right now.
For those interested in more about the meteor shower from past discussions and especially the connection to St. Lawrence's feast day yesterday:
The Perseids are coming!
Perseid Meteor Shower
St. Laurence's Feast is coming
Feast of St. Lawrence, August 10
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Mary M. in Denver
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joann10
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| Posted: Aug 12 2009 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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It was very dark in our neck of the woods, even with the moon, and the kids got quite a show last night, as meteors streaked from one horizon to the other!! Amy said some were so bright they look like they were burning every color of the rainbow--they were very impressed---I, on the other hand, didn't make it, and headed to a "real" bed. 
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Aug 12 2009 at 12:32pm | IP Logged
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I popped out for ten minutes or so and saw a few. The moon was really bright and it was partly cloudy, so I felt lucky to see the ones I did. Especially since I have never been lucky enough to see them at all before--always too cloudy or too much light, nursing baby, sick in bed, etc--always something! I swear one of these days I will be in the right place at the right time and it will be quite a show!LOL!
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 13 2009 at 4:46am | IP Logged
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lapazfarm wrote:
| I swear one of these days I will be in the right place at the right time and it will be quite a show!LOL! |
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I do hope you get to see a good show sometime. I figured when you were in Alaska you should have had a great show because of the lack of light pollution - then I realized that it would be during the days of the midnight sun, so I realize Alaska doesn't get much of a Perseid view, huh. 
We went out again tonight and saw a lot more meteors - definitely better than last night, even with the light pollution and moon it wasn't too bad.
So, I saw that out at Joann's they were all on the tramp to view the night sky. We took to the roof and lay down up there (but didn't spend the night  ). The kids love doing that.
So from where do you do your astronomical veiwing?
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Mary M. in Denver
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PDyer
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| Posted: Aug 13 2009 at 7:30am | IP Logged
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My son and I grabbed a blanket and laid in the backyard last night for about an hour. I haven't seen too many meteor showers so I don't know if what we saw was "a good show", but we were happy with it until the fog came creeping up the hill and chased us indoors.
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Patty
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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It's that time of year again...The peak is forecast (for North America) to come during the afternoon hours on Thursday (August 12), which means that greatest number of meteors will probably be seen late that night into the predawn hours of Friday.
We went up to the mountains last night and camped overnight on St. Lawrence's feast day to get away from the light pollution. After the clouds rolled through it was a clear night and we saw quite a few even though it wasn't the peak night. What a difference it makes being away from the light pollution.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 10 2011 at 3:58pm | IP Logged
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Bumping this thread (again...guess I'm the Perseid geek.) If this is new to you, check out the above past threads for historical and sciencitfic background.
Just got back from our second annual overnight camp trip. A couple other families from our homeschool group went this time as well. Saw a few early in the evening, then some clouds came through and we couldn't see anything. Set our alarm and got up at 3 AM. It was clear and beautiful and we saw lots - including what might have been the longest and brightest one I'd ever seen. If you have a chance in the next couple of days head out to see them. The hours just before dawn are best since this year we are fighting an almost full moon. But the moon set for us a couple hours before dawn so it was dark and clear at 3 AM. Unfortunately on the peak night the full moon won't set before dawn.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 09 2012 at 5:53pm | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
Bumping this thread (again...guess I'm the Perseid geek.) If this is new to you, check out the above past threads for historical and scientific background.
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Yes, I am...  - the Perseid geek again...
In one of the other threads I mentioned a fun picture book that features meteors. Still looking for some others - none were mentioned at that time.
MaryM wrote:
| A fun book to read to younger ones on this topic is Meteor by Patricia Polacco. Anyone else know of any good stories which feature meteors or "shooting stars"? |
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So here as some I just found but haven't seen. Am requesting them.
Shooting Stars - Franklin Branley
Call Me Ahnighito - Pam Conrad
Pieces of Another World - Mara Rockliff
What I would really love to add to the list is books that aren't about meteors or shooting stars but have them in the picture book as just an incidental part.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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| Posted: Aug 09 2012 at 7:24pm | IP Logged
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Also wanted to make note for potential viewers that this year, 2012, will mark a particularly stellar year for viewing the Perseid meteor shower. They are saying up to 100/hour. The peak is on Aug. 12 and since the moon is in a waning crescent at that time it won't hamper viewing too much. It would be best if it was a new moon, but we'll take what we can get. Last year it was almost a full moon at that point which was not great for viewing.
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Mary M. in Denver
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AtHomeScience
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| Posted: Aug 10 2012 at 7:03pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for bumping this up, Mary! We're planning an outing for Sunday at our friend's house atop a good-sized, treeless hill to view.
I was going to suggest Pieces of Another World but you already have it listed. Oh, there must be books with shooting starts somewhere in the story but I can't think of one!
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JennGM
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| Posted: Aug 10 2012 at 10:41pm | IP Logged
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Every year we try to see and it's ALWAYS cloudy. Might be lucky this year, but we'll see.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Aug 11 2012 at 5:40pm | IP Logged
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DH and I sat out in the backyard last night and got to enjoy a number of "shooting stars". Tonight we'll have the kids sitting out with us too.
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Perseid Meteor Shower - St. Lawrence
