Hurling Through Space: Meteor Showers 101
Every year at the same time, certain meteor showers take place.
Last night my family and I snuggled under our blankets in a tent in the backyard, gazing anxiously up at the night sky of twinkling stars and glowing planets. Waiting. Waiting. And more patient waiting.
The Perseid Meteor Shower is supposed to be one of the best meteor showers of the year, with approximately 80 blazing meteors per hour. (Last year was a higher ratio.)
And this year in particular promised extraordinary fireballs, bursting by!
Every year I try to catch a glimpse of these amazing "shooting stars" as we like to call them. But do you know that those dazzling outer space fireworks really are?
While the Perseid Meteor Shower starts around mid-July, it peaks on August 11th and 12th. So we started our meteor adventure Friday evening, August 11th. We dowsed ourselves in bug spray, spread our blankets on the damp grass, and gazed longingly up into the sky.
The sky shone brightly with stars, but eventually the clouds began to move in and out throughout the night. I saw one very cool fireball that lit up the sky with bright white bursts and then slowly faded.
Saturday we were a bit more prepared. My husband Jared put up the tent earlier in the day so we could lie comfortably without mosquitoes nipping at our ears, toes, and cheeks. This was going to be the grand finale. However, we were warned that once the waning gibbous moon began to rise, seeing meteors would be much more difficult.
Immediately we began to see meteors blaze across the sky.
And then we sat and waited...and waited. And waited more. Until it seemed we'd never see one again. Then Tavin fell fast asleep.
Jared and I put on some "spacey" music to set the mood as we began to talk about the losses in our life over the past several months. We talked about his brother, Mikey, who recently died of alcohol abuse at the young age of 38. It was a traumatic experience for us, and one we are still trying so hard to cope with, and not having much success in.
Just as we were talking about how much Mikey loved outer space, a long white streak filled the dark night, whizzing straight above our heads.
Because Mikey was such a lover of science and space, I began to ask myself, "How is it possible that meteors happen at the same time every year?" So I began my investigation right then and there. I was utterly SHOCKED AND AWED by the answer.
As we--earth--hurl through space (yes, HURLING at a rapid rate of 1000 miles an hour!!), revolving around the sun, we pass through a dusty cluster of broken comet pieces. The Perseid shower hurls through the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which is one of the largest objects that repeatedly passes earth. According to Space.com:
Please tell me you're just as geeked out about that as I am!
As the moon began to rise, the sky began to light up and block out the shining stars (suns). However, amazingly, we began to see more and more meteors. One was SO spectacular and big that Jared was looking at me in the opposite direction that I was facing, and said it was so bright it lit my face up!
By that time it was 1 AM, and we had decided that after we saw another one we would head inside for bed, since Tavin had once again fallen asleep within the first half hour of being outside. But as I left the tent and headed towards the house, another meteor stretched across the heavens leaving a white streak etched in my memory!
I stood there, clutching my pillow tightly, anticipating just. one. more! PLEASE GOD! I stood there for nearly 10 minutes hanging my head back, circling round and round, hoping for another one to pass overhead. But the moon was rising higher and the sky was getting brighter. I knew my chances of seeing one like that again would be rare, so I reluctantly backed into the house just in case another came by.
While we were watching earlier in the evening, Tavin began to wonder, "What would happen if the meteor fell to the earth?!" Well, that has happened, we explained to him, but it's very rare. And a meteor that does make it's way to earth without burning up, is called a meteorite. However, the debris in Perseid would probably never land on earth because--are you ready for this?--they are about the size of a grain of sand!
Ummm...
Meteor showers are not what you expect them to be. They are not showers. Jared and I tried to come up with more suitable names: Meteor Sprinkles, or Meteor Droppings.
I remember when we first went to watch our first meteor shower back in 2011, I expected a shower of meteors.
You know, one after another after another after another.
No.
That's not the case. Meteor showers require tons of patience and your eyes always being peeled. You can have amazing conversations with whomever your with, but remember not to look them in the eyes because if you do, there's a great chance you just missed a faint, but noticeable meteor grace the sky.
Orionids, which will begin on August 25th and continue through November 19th, however the peak night (the night when you'll see the most meteors) will be October 22nd. The peak should allow around 15 meteors per hour.
November 5-December 3 enters into the Leonids, peaking on November 18th with approximately 15 per hour.
Geminids at it's peak may offer 125 meteors per hour, however, it will be during the cold spark before winter: November 30-December 17.
Ursids is the last big event of the year, beginning on December 17 and ending on Christmas Eve, peaking on December 22nd with only 10 per hour.
There are smaller meteor showers and you can find the list here.
Instead of simply watching a meteor shower, contemplate what's really happening! The earth is hurling us through space through dust and comet debris at a very particular place in space and time. How utterly amazing is that?
Last night my family and I snuggled under our blankets in a tent in the backyard, gazing anxiously up at the night sky of twinkling stars and glowing planets. Waiting. Waiting. And more patient waiting.
The Perseid Meteor Shower is supposed to be one of the best meteor showers of the year, with approximately 80 blazing meteors per hour. (Last year was a higher ratio.)
And this year in particular promised extraordinary fireballs, bursting by!
Every year I try to catch a glimpse of these amazing "shooting stars" as we like to call them. But do you know that those dazzling outer space fireworks really are?
While the Perseid Meteor Shower starts around mid-July, it peaks on August 11th and 12th. So we started our meteor adventure Friday evening, August 11th. We dowsed ourselves in bug spray, spread our blankets on the damp grass, and gazed longingly up into the sky.
The sky shone brightly with stars, but eventually the clouds began to move in and out throughout the night. I saw one very cool fireball that lit up the sky with bright white bursts and then slowly faded.
Saturday we were a bit more prepared. My husband Jared put up the tent earlier in the day so we could lie comfortably without mosquitoes nipping at our ears, toes, and cheeks. This was going to be the grand finale. However, we were warned that once the waning gibbous moon began to rise, seeing meteors would be much more difficult.
Immediately we began to see meteors blaze across the sky.
And then we sat and waited...and waited. And waited more. Until it seemed we'd never see one again. Then Tavin fell fast asleep.
Jared and I put on some "spacey" music to set the mood as we began to talk about the losses in our life over the past several months. We talked about his brother, Mikey, who recently died of alcohol abuse at the young age of 38. It was a traumatic experience for us, and one we are still trying so hard to cope with, and not having much success in.
Just as we were talking about how much Mikey loved outer space, a long white streak filled the dark night, whizzing straight above our heads.
Because Mikey was such a lover of science and space, I began to ask myself, "How is it possible that meteors happen at the same time every year?" So I began my investigation right then and there. I was utterly SHOCKED AND AWED by the answer.
As we--earth--hurl through space (yes, HURLING at a rapid rate of 1000 miles an hour!!), revolving around the sun, we pass through a dusty cluster of broken comet pieces. The Perseid shower hurls through the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which is one of the largest objects that repeatedly passes earth. According to Space.com:
It last passed nearby Earth during its orbit around the sun in 1992, and the next time will be in 2126. But it won't be forgotten in the meantime, because Earth passes through the dust and debris it leaves behind every year, creating the annual Perseid meteor shower.
Please tell me you're just as geeked out about that as I am!
As the moon began to rise, the sky began to light up and block out the shining stars (suns). However, amazingly, we began to see more and more meteors. One was SO spectacular and big that Jared was looking at me in the opposite direction that I was facing, and said it was so bright it lit my face up!
By that time it was 1 AM, and we had decided that after we saw another one we would head inside for bed, since Tavin had once again fallen asleep within the first half hour of being outside. But as I left the tent and headed towards the house, another meteor stretched across the heavens leaving a white streak etched in my memory!
I stood there, clutching my pillow tightly, anticipating just. one. more! PLEASE GOD! I stood there for nearly 10 minutes hanging my head back, circling round and round, hoping for another one to pass overhead. But the moon was rising higher and the sky was getting brighter. I knew my chances of seeing one like that again would be rare, so I reluctantly backed into the house just in case another came by.
While we were watching earlier in the evening, Tavin began to wonder, "What would happen if the meteor fell to the earth?!" Well, that has happened, we explained to him, but it's very rare. And a meteor that does make it's way to earth without burning up, is called a meteorite. However, the debris in Perseid would probably never land on earth because--are you ready for this?--they are about the size of a grain of sand!
Ummm...
Meteor showers are not what you expect them to be. They are not showers. Jared and I tried to come up with more suitable names: Meteor Sprinkles, or Meteor Droppings.
I remember when we first went to watch our first meteor shower back in 2011, I expected a shower of meteors.
You know, one after another after another after another.
No.
That's not the case. Meteor showers require tons of patience and your eyes always being peeled. You can have amazing conversations with whomever your with, but remember not to look them in the eyes because if you do, there's a great chance you just missed a faint, but noticeable meteor grace the sky.
The next big Meteor showers to be on the lookout for are:
Orionids, which will begin on August 25th and continue through November 19th, however the peak night (the night when you'll see the most meteors) will be October 22nd. The peak should allow around 15 meteors per hour.
November 5-December 3 enters into the Leonids, peaking on November 18th with approximately 15 per hour.
Geminids at it's peak may offer 125 meteors per hour, however, it will be during the cold spark before winter: November 30-December 17.
Ursids is the last big event of the year, beginning on December 17 and ending on Christmas Eve, peaking on December 22nd with only 10 per hour.
There are smaller meteor showers and you can find the list here.
Instead of simply watching a meteor shower, contemplate what's really happening! The earth is hurling us through space through dust and comet debris at a very particular place in space and time. How utterly amazing is that?
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