[meteorite-list] persieds meteors

From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Aug 5 19:57:18 2005
Message-ID: <1f6.f3fe3e4.302555ed_at_aol.com>

Steve A. (Elgin, IL) wrote:

>Hello list and good evening.Do not forget,next friday the 12th,is the
>annual persied meteor swarm.It will be able to be seen in the
>constellation of pegasus.Best viewing will be on the 12th,but viewing will
>also be possible a day before the 12th,and a couple of days after.I like
>to get the old binoculars and look at those old shooting stars.It usually
>is quite the view.
 
Thanks Ron and Steve for the heads up. I am not sure what Steve (Elgin, IL)
means about the shower of "Tears of Saint Lawrence" being seen in Pegasus,
though this is true and may be a nice view, these are the Perseids, of course,
and no constellation negotiated an exclusive...
 
Pegasus was born from Neptune's foamy seed and the blood of Medusa, who used
to be an object of Poseidon's (Neptune) desire until they made love in
Athena's temple, defiling it and involking Athena's wrath. When Perseus had
decapitated her as a sort of labor (Perseus was a grandfather of Hercules), and
was then able to mount the flying horse to free sacrificial Andromeda, the
daughter of the Vain!y Boastfu! African Queen Cassiopeia, Perseus and Pegasus
are different constellations and there is little need to be constellation saavy
if you casually want to join the fun. The Great Square of Pegasus will
probably be the most recognizable asterism two or three dozen degrees (1/6 of the
visible sky) above the radiant of the shower in Perseus (between the very
bright star Capella and Mars), and if you pick the right diagonal it will
point there, but then again, so will the meteors! Taurus, Pisces, Cygnus (the
bright cross also points to Perseus), and Draco, Aries, Andromeda, and
Cassiopeia (the obvious "W") as well as the rest of the sky ought to be good as well.
 
Queen Cassiopeia's "W", near the radiant, Capella and Mars form a triangle
around Perseus. I wouldn't recommend binoculars unless they were of the
Cetus-eye variety (whale-eye lenses)...or after you've had your own eyeful of the
natural feel. The Perseids are the kind of meteors that are impressive by
the unaided, alert, scanning and darting eye, if you can just find a nice,
reasonably dark spot! These are bright, fast meteors, and only someone with
Cowboy Charlie Brown would have the reflexes to grab the binocs and catch a
meteor he first located with his eye.
 
Some nice nights ahead, now's the time to get a date with a companion or
two, to share in the fun...
Saludos, Doug
Received on Fri 05 Aug 2005 07:53:17 PM PDT