Perseid Meteor Shower -- August 2007

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Yep thanks for the reminder.
I used to work morning tour (nights) on a drilling rig far out in West Texas every summer when I was a college kid. This was near a town (Mentone) so remote that they literally trucked water in to it.

I remember watching this meteor shower and realizing how teeny tiny I am in the grand scheme of things.
 
I saw one last night. It was neat because it was right beside the area where there was heat lightening going on. Two shows in one.
 
My kids and I and one of their friends are going to stay up to watch. I prepared a short handout for the kids (we do homeschool after all and- use any chance we can to teach!). If anyone wants it to use with their kids, PM me your email address and I will email to you. It is aimed at the 8 year old age range. It is mainly some quick facts with some graphics.
 
I went out three times (10 pm, 11 pm and 12:30am). I clearly saw one bright meteor. I possibly saw a couple of faint ones. I also saw some flashes from the corner of my eye, which I assume were meteors on the edge of my vision. Anyway, the light pollution in the Dallas area is awful. I wish I had been under dark skies.

Bob: Did you make it camping? How were things?
 
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Our place is normally great for watching the night sky. My wife saw one shooting star. When I got around to star-gazing, the sky turned cloudy, so I did not see any. :um:
 
I was out all night, 'cause that's my job. But I had to to keep my eyes on the road. However, I saw two bright ones, one of which left a lingering trail that my friend (at one stop) and I could look at for a while.

But I also saw something else. It could have been one too. It was a small light, like a star, getting brighter and brighter, until it was brighter than Venus gets, and then it faded out. Is it possible to see one coming right at you? I don't think it was an airplane's headlights, because I watched for flashing lights afterwards. Also, it brightened too fast and stayed stationary, not like an airplane would do. An airplane's lights would fade as it turns, but this didn't move; plus it totally disappeared, unlike an airplane's light. It happened fast, like a meteor's trail would, but was stationary. It was close to Pleiades.
 
JohnV said:
I was out all night, 'cause that's my job. But I had to to keep my eyes on the road. However, I saw two bright ones, one of which left a lingering trail that my friend (at one stop) and I could look at for a while.

But I also saw something else. It could have been one too. It was a small light, like a star, getting brighter and brighter, until it was brighter than Venus gets, and then it faded out. Is it possible to see one coming right at you? I don't think it was an airplane's headlights, because I watched for flashing lights afterwards. Also, it brightened too fast and stayed stationary, not like an airplane would do. An airplane's lights would fade as it turns, but this didn't move; plus it totally disappeared, unlike an airplane's light. It happened fast, like a meteor's trail would, but was stationary. It was close to Pleiades.
Click to expand...

It could have been a meteor. Meteors in the Perseids Shower shoot out from a radiant in the Constellation Perseus. So, if it was at or near the radiant, then it could be a meteor, at least that is my amateur guess.
 
Scott said:
JohnV said:
I was out all night, 'cause that's my job. But I had to to keep my eyes on the road. However, I saw two bright ones, one of which left a lingering trail that my friend (at one stop) and I could look at for a while.

But I also saw something else. It could have been one too. It was a small light, like a star, getting brighter and brighter, until it was brighter than Venus gets, and then it faded out. Is it possible to see one coming right at you? I don't think it was an airplane's headlights, because I watched for flashing lights afterwards. Also, it brightened too fast and stayed stationary, not like an airplane would do. An airplane's lights would fade as it turns, but this didn't move; plus it totally disappeared, unlike an airplane's light. It happened fast, like a meteor's trail would, but was stationary. It was close to Pleiades.
Click to expand...

It could have been a meteor. Meteors in the Perseids Shower shoot out from a radiant in the Constellation Perseus. So, if it was at or near the radiant, then it could be a meteor, at least that is my amateur guess.
Click to expand...

That's about where it was. It might make sense, except for the fact that Earth is going through the debris trail left by a comet. We should be seeing this as streaking lights across the sky from whatever position we are, whatever the direction of the streaks. But I just can't think of any other explanation for what I saw. So I'll accept yours, Scott. It's better than mine.
 
John: This is an excerpt from a meteor viewing tip article:
It doesn't really matter where in the sky you watch; meteors can appear anywhere. Just watch where it's darkest, usually straight up. It's probably best not to stare directly at the radiant, because meteors there leave short trails.
Click to expand...
It sounds like the closer to the radiant, the shorter the tail. So you may have seen one coming directly for you. Anyway, just a guess. My other guess is that ET was returning that night. :)
 
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