Nature's Fireworks Display.

bw41101 · 12-08-2007, 21:10

Greetings all;

As many of you may be aware, our planet is currently passing through (what remains) of a comet's tail. The event is known as the Perseid meteor shower.

This phenomenon (which usually lasts around a week to 10 days) has occurred (every year) for around the last 2000 years and is due to peak over the next couple of days.

As the weather is predicted to be hits (anag) for the coming week, tonight's (probably) the best time to observe same. If predictions are correct then it's possible that you'll see the meteors at the rate of (maybe) 1-2 a minute.

So if you're out and about (after 22:00 hours) tonight, try looking up at the sky - though not when crossing the road

as you may end up seeing stars instead of meteors

Enjoy

Si thee

12-08-2007, 22:39

I had a quick look about 10.15 i seen a few i suspect it will warm up as night passes

i,m going to have another gander then sleeptime.

Delta Whiskey · 12-08-2007, 22:40

Oh joy, it's cloudy.

bw41101 · 12-08-2007, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta Whiskey

Oh joy, it's cloudy.

Join the club.

Reckon we should get the whole of the UK population up to John O Groat's and push this country 500 miles further south - just North of the Canary Islands, would be nice.

Then we wouldn't have to suffer this poxy climate,

sigh...........!

Si thee

handyman · 13-08-2007, 00:22

You should be outside now. Just 20 mins up the m6 and it is pretty clear. Just seen 8 and my neck is pretty sore. Not as bright as I thought they would be though.

murfitUK · 13-08-2007, 02:15

I've just posted this on another forum but thought I'd share my experience with Cable Forum members as well seeing as how someone has raised the subject...

Well, that was a waste of time.

I've just come back from spending a couple of hours in our local park. I thought that would be the best place to go as its the only place round here you can look up without being dazzled by the street lamps.

I made my way to the middle of the park in the pitch dark, trying to avoid the druggies and winos, and slipping and sliding all over a surface comprised of muddy grass, dog sh*t, used condoms, broken glass and discarded needles.

The forecast was supposed to be clear sky but when I looked up all I could see was murky clouds and then it started to rain so I got soaked, and couldn't see anything at all through my misted up and rain-speckled glasses. I thought I saw a flashing light once but it was an aeroplane on approach to Manchester.

So after a couple of hours I got fed up and made my way home via the pond trying to avoid the flock of vicious Canada geese that have taken over the park, and stepping in the goose sh*t that they leave all over the path. Have you seen the size of that goose sh*t? Their droppings are huge. Surely their bums aren't that big. I've got an alsatian dog and his turds aren't half as big as that.

All in all - a deeply disappointing experience. Next year I'll tape coloured cellophane to my glasses and flash torches into my eyes to see coloured lights.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and scrape the dog sh*t off my shoes.

bw41101 · 13-08-2007, 21:30

Ah but it does you good to get out into the country

Just for the record, I saw sod all as well, sigh................!

Si thee

lauzjp · 14-08-2007, 00:23

I saw a few on friday evening, though there were so many bright stars in the sky anyway, it was quite hard to make out the tiny little streaks of orangey-ness when I did spy a meteor! Quite disappointing, with the naked eye they were only about 1-2cm long, but at least I saw some I guess.

**Chris** · 14-08-2007, 00:26

Still worth a look tonight- I saw two in one minute just now.

lauzjp · 14-08-2007, 00:56

we've locked up for the night, and the street lights are too bright near the bedroom window

oh well!

Halcyon · 15-08-2007, 10:47

I was in this small village in France the other day and it really makes a difference to the orange glow we get in cities from city lights.
You could see the sky so much more clearly and see the milky way too. So many more stars show up.
Saw a couple of meteors. Going to have another look tonight, though now back in the UK in big town so probably won't see much.

Delta Whiskey · 15-08-2007, 17:58

The only time I've seen them properly was while I was driving past the Rollright stones near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire. We got out and stood watching them for an hour, very cool.
Mind you it could have been something to do with driving home from the Fairport Convention festival in Cropredy, three days of Wadsworths real ale and rain.