Comments on: Meteor Shower – The Perseids

By: Meteor

Meteor — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:57:42 +0000

The shower peaks in the morning of August 12th and will be active until August 24th.

By: Chelsea Kiser

Chelsea Kiser — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:55:27 +0000

So a bunch of friends heard there was going to be a meteor shower this week, and we are planning on watching it, but someone thought it was Tuesday. . .I live in Montana, so should be we out watching Tuesday night or Wednesday night? Thanks for your post; your info on this site is really interesting, and we are all really excited to maybe see some meteors!

Hi Chelsea,

For Montana It would be August 12th in the morning when the shower is strongest this means 12:01 AM onward.

- Meteor Mark

By: Carbon

Carbon — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:54:33 +0000

The forecast for my city says it will rain during the night of the 11th-12th. Would it be possible to see the Perseids the following night?

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:36:26 +0000

Will we be able to see much of the Perseids down here on the east coast of Australia?

Steve

Yes, Steve, just not as many as in the Northern Hemishpere. – Meteor Mark

By: Meteor

Meteor — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:10:59 +0000

Sel, Yes, but it won't be as strong as it would be on the 12th. Mornings before dawn are best not evenings. Read this post: Meteor Shower Viewing - Meteor Mark

By: Sel

Sel — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:06:39 +0000

Hi…:) I was wondering if it was possible to see the shooting stars the night of August 10th? I am from Italy and their we celebrate this day and we go out to see the shooting stars. I am in the U.S. this summer was wondering if it was possible.
Thank u…:)

By: Hokie

Hokie — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:12:07 +0000

This afternoon in Blacksburg, Virginia, I was fortunate to hear the arrival of the Persieds thanks to a friend who tuned his shortwave radio antenna and frequency to hear them plowing through the atmosphere. Given the screams on the radio set, activity is picking up. The short ionized streams give off short squeals, while the larger and longer meteor streams give off a long high pitch whine gradually going to a lower pitch as the meteor dissipates. It was a really cool experience to actually hear these extra-terrestrial objects enter our atmosphere. Will begin looking for visuals tonight, but will certainly spend most of Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning ooking for the best ones (weather permitting.) If you know someone with good antenna and radio set, it is well worth the experience of listening to these out-of-this-world sounds.

Hokie,

This is true. They make little blurpy sounds and sometimes long drawn out whistles it is cool!

- Meteor Mark

By: Meteor

Meteor — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:10:39 +0000

Shauna, You're not alone I get asked this a lot. If you're in the USA you should look on August 12th Wednesday between 12:01 AM and dawn. The "morning of August 12th after midnight" is August 12th Wednesday morning before sunrise. Keep your head up! - Meteor Mark For best results please observe at a time closest to the peak when it is darkest in your time zone.

By: Meteor

Meteor — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:04:05 +0000

Richard,

Meteor observing still remains the most difficult astronomical event to predict. The moon will be in the radiant as you seem to know, my suggestion is try a few dark spots over a three hour period. Start by positioning it to the E/NE above Ursa Major near Ursa Minor (Polaris) if in fact it is dark in that part of the sky.

Contact me if you get some shots!

- Meteor Mark

By: Richard Glenn

Richard Glenn — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:29:50 +0000

I will be at a very dark site to view the shower. I plan on taking many timed photos to catch some Persieds. With the moon so close to the radiant, what would be the best direction to point my wide angle DSLR to catch some meteors, I know you point or watch away from the radiant anyways Towards Polaris maybe? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

By: Shauna Smith

Shauna Smith — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:46:34 +0000

Wed. is August 12th and I think the morning of August 12th after midnight is Thursday – or is it?? Or do you mean Tues. day and then Wed. night?
Please respond, want to invite friends up.
Thank you!
Peace,
Shauna

By: dan

dan — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:20:38 +0000

was camping down the south of England August 8th and witnessed what we assumed was a shooting star, though after the initial viewing we witnessed several more, which led to me looking into it and finding this website.

Dan,

Thanks for the comment. Get ready for August 12th in the morning.

- Meteor Mark

By: Meteor

Meteor — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 04:32:16 +0000

Sheri,

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I doubt you saw the same event that people saw in the New England Area. Fireballs are not usually visible from distances that far. Sounds like a similar event, but not the same event. Thank you for your comment.

- Meteor Mark

By: SHERI

SHERI — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 04:26:44 +0000

I saw the same thing that everyone else saw on august 1st, except I live in Texas. I was coming back from a trip, at around 8:30 pm., I looked at the sun beginning to set, and it looked like a stick, or straight line going through the sun. I got my family to look at it as well, we pulled over and got about 8 pictures of the thing. Not sure what it was, but, the last few pictures show a tail that is breaking a part. very interesting, and unusual. no sound. funny thing was, it was not streaking across the sky. it was coming straight down, sort of at an angle…have pics if anyone is interested.

By: Meteor

Meteor — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:21:12 +0000

Andy,

Worth a look, no guarantees for good or bad. This is a strong meteor shower.

- Meteor Mark