Comments on: To do this week: look at the night sky, and enjoy the Perseid meteor shower http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 20 May 2013 16:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Boba Fett Diop http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855824 Boba Fett Diop Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855824 I've read Day of the Triffids. There's no way I'm looking up for the next couple of nights. I’ve read Day of the Triffids. There’s no way I’m looking up for the next couple of nights.

]]> By: nemofazer http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855827 nemofazer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855827 Reading The Day of the Triffids as a kid always spoils this sort of thing for me. Reading The Day of the Triffids as a kid always spoils this sort of thing for me.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855842 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855842 If the movies I've seen are correct, you'll have no trouble seeing meteors. Fro the best luck, just watch the Empire State Building and/or the Statue of Liberty. Your biggest problem will be shockwaves and falling rubble. Stay away from taxis and news stands. If the movies I’ve seen are correct, you’ll have no trouble seeing meteors. Fro the best luck, just watch the Empire State Building and/or the Statue of Liberty. Your biggest problem will be shockwaves and falling rubble. Stay away from taxis and news stands.

]]> By: Cowicide http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856110 Cowicide Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856110 Details via article: The best window of opportunity to see the shower will be the late-night hours of Wednesday on through the first light of dawn on the morning of Thursday, and then again during the late-night hours of Aug. 12 into the predawn hours of Aug. 13. The Moon, whose bright light almost totally wrecked last year's shower, will have zero impact this year; unlike last year when it was just a few days past full, this year it will be new on Monday, Aug. 9, meaning that there will be absolutely no interference from it at all. Excellent! Details via article:

The best window of opportunity to see the shower will be the late-night hours of Wednesday on through the first light of dawn on the morning of Thursday, and then again during the late-night hours of Aug. 12 into the predawn hours of Aug. 13.

The Moon, whose bright light almost totally wrecked last year’s shower, will have zero impact this year; unlike last year when it was just a few days past full, this year it will be new on Monday, Aug. 9, meaning that there will be absolutely no interference from it at all.

Excellent!

]]> By: Mike http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855870 Mike Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855870 For those of you who can't get away from the bright city lights, there's always Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=perseids I'll be trekking out from Los Angeles, a few hours north, so I can catch the shower again this year. It's really spectacular and if you haven't caught a meteor shower in a while (or ever), I highly recommend it. Bring along your favorite mp3 player with some appropriate stargazing music, a blanket, and a friend or two. Really worth it. For those of you who can’t get away from the bright city lights, there’s always Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=perseids

I’ll be trekking out from Los Angeles, a few hours north, so I can catch the shower again this year. It’s really spectacular and if you haven’t caught a meteor shower in a while (or ever), I highly recommend it.

Bring along your favorite mp3 player with some appropriate stargazing music, a blanket, and a friend or two. Really worth it.

]]> By: johnphantom http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855892 johnphantom Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855892 Cooked to death? Damn that sounds particularly nasty. Psst... don't tell the CIA or Gitmo about this... I will be watching out for the shower, though - thanks for the heads up. Cooked to death? Damn that sounds particularly nasty.

Psst… don’t tell the CIA or Gitmo about this…

I will be watching out for the shower, though – thanks for the heads up.

]]> By: Bulone http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856160 Bulone Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856160 I seriously doubt I would be able to see this from my balcony. Those damn eye straining lights from office buildings lit the night sky almost like day time. I seriously doubt I would be able to see this from my balcony. Those damn eye straining lights from office buildings lit the night sky almost like day time.

]]> By: CpnCodpiece http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856425 CpnCodpiece Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856425 Don't worry I found out, the answer, unfortunately, is not really. But if you look towards the northern horizon you should be able to see an unusually high number of meteorites. Don’t worry I found out, the answer, unfortunately, is not really. But if you look towards the northern horizon you should be able to see an unusually high number of meteorites.

]]> By: thefinder http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856427 thefinder Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856427 Same here in Sonoma County, Ca., north of S.F. This is the coolest summer on record. The fog comes in every evening and can last as long a 1 in the afternoon. The grapes are rotting and the cottonwood trees are turning yellow already. There's still water in the creeks (definitely not normal). But I have the memory of watching many Perseid meteor showers in the past. The most spectacular one I watched was on the east side of the Rockies on the Blackfoot reservation. Same here in Sonoma County, Ca., north of S.F. This is the coolest summer on record. The fog comes in every evening and can last as long a 1 in the afternoon. The grapes are rotting and the cottonwood trees are turning yellow already. There’s still water in the creeks (definitely not normal). But I have the memory of watching many Perseid meteor showers in the past. The most spectacular one I watched was on the east side of the Rockies on the Blackfoot reservation.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856446 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856446 Mike! This sounds crazy, but I am a student in LA and I would love to see about going with you and your group outside of LA, right now I don't have a way to go out to Joshua Tree or anything, so when I read your comment I thought that maybe I could go with you! Thanks Ben thebengordon(at) gmail.com Mike!
This sounds crazy, but I am a student in LA and I would love to see about going with you and your group outside of LA, right now I don’t have a way to go out to Joshua Tree or anything, so when I read your comment I thought that maybe I could go with you!
Thanks
Ben
thebengordon(at) gmail.com

]]> By: TheMadLibrarian http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855956 TheMadLibrarian Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855956 Uhh... I don't think that's a composite picture of any meteor activity. The streaks are time lapse star trails around Polaris, and that bright blob off to the lower light looks like a terrestrial light source of some type. Meteor trails wouldn't curve, and in all probability would be at a distinct angle to the star trails. Uhh… I don’t think that’s a composite picture of any meteor activity. The streaks are time lapse star trails around Polaris, and that bright blob off to the lower light looks like a terrestrial light source of some type. Meteor trails wouldn’t curve, and in all probability would be at a distinct angle to the star trails.

]]> By: iambryan http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-857764 iambryan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-857764 For all your Calgary based readers... Tonight (August 11) is the last night of Milky Way Days at the University of Calgary's Rothney Astrophysics Observatory (http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/). Admittance can be gained for a donation to the RAO's educational program. The observatory will be opening it's gates at 22:00 and closes again at 0200. Hopefully the skies will be clear for a portion of the night. Check the cloud forecast here: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/RothneyALkey.html?1 There will be telescopes available (not sure how many) for those in attendance. I hope to see you there. Cheers For all your Calgary based readers… Tonight (August 11) is the last night of Milky Way Days at the University of Calgary’s Rothney Astrophysics Observatory (http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/). Admittance can be gained for a donation to the RAO’s educational program.

The observatory will be opening it’s gates at 22:00 and closes again at 0200. Hopefully the skies will be clear for a portion of the night. Check the cloud forecast here: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/RothneyALkey.html?1

There will be telescopes available (not sure how many) for those in attendance.

I hope to see you there.
Cheers

]]> By: PaulR http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855987 PaulR Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855987 Even better, make a party of it: For years, some good friends of mine used to have our "Annual Star Meet". (Yes, the acronym works out to "ASM"; we were/are all computer geeks, and had mostly met when playing Pyroto Mountain, or via Tim & Ord's other BBS, SASSy.) Just at around the the time the Perseids would peak, we'd drive up to one of the group's member's cottage, just North of Montreal. The agenda was simple: 1) have a potluck dinner, 2) go lie down on the dock or lawn or take the pédalo, and go "Oooh!" and "Ahhhh" for a few hours.. Even when the sky was overcast, a good time would be had by all. We were all pretty good cooks. Even better, make a party of it:
For years, some good friends of mine used to have our “Annual Star Meet”.
(Yes, the acronym works out to “ASM”; we were/are all computer geeks, and had mostly met when playing Pyroto Mountain, or via Tim & Ord’s other BBS, SASSy.)

Just at around the the time the Perseids would peak, we’d drive up to one of the group’s member’s cottage, just North of Montreal. The agenda was simple: 1) have a potluck dinner, 2) go lie down on the dock or lawn or take the pédalo, and go “Oooh!” and “Ahhhh” for a few hours..

Even when the sky was overcast, a good time would be had by all. We were all pretty good cooks.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856003 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856003 Here in Los Angeles we are presently cursed with an offshore marine layer that does a really good job of flowing in and blanketing much of SoCal during the night either totally or at least in gauzy goodness, thereby shooting to hell your confident assertion that everyone no matter where they are should be able to look up and get some meteor action. Here in Los Angeles we are presently cursed with an offshore marine layer that does a really good job of flowing in and blanketing much of SoCal during the night either totally or at least in gauzy goodness, thereby shooting to hell your confident assertion that everyone no matter where they are should be able to look up and get some meteor action.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856006 Antinous / Moderator Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856006 I'm in Palm Springs. We had a cloud once. I think it was in 2003. I’m in Palm Springs. We had a cloud once. I think it was in 2003.

]]> By: Viadd http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856265 Viadd Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856265 St. Lawrence is also the patron saint of cooks. St. Lawrence is also the patron saint of cooks.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856010 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856010 I'm pretty sure they know that, but it's generally easier to get something like that than professional photos of meteor showers, plus, it looks cool. I’m pretty sure they know that, but it’s generally easier to get something like that than professional photos of meteor showers, plus, it looks cool.

]]> By: CpnCodpiece http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856267 CpnCodpiece Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856267 Is it possible to see these in the Southern Hemisphere? Is it possible to see these in the Southern Hemisphere?

]]> By: Bevatron Repairman http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855762 Bevatron Repairman Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855762 ANd for such wit, St. Lawrence is the patron saint of comedians. ANd for such wit, St. Lawrence is the patron saint of comedians.

]]> By: teknocholer http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855781 teknocholer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855781 St. Peter greeted Lawrence at the Pearly Gates, saying, "Lawrence, well done!" St. Peter greeted Lawrence at the Pearly Gates, saying, “Lawrence, well done!”

]]> By: PaulR http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-856046 PaulR Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-856046 Maybe so, but you can't see anything of consequence in that cloudless sky, what with all the artificial lighting... http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap001127.html Maybe so, but you can’t see anything of consequence in that cloudless sky, what with all the artificial lighting…

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap001127.html

]]> By: Apreche http://boingboing.net/2010/08/09/to-do-this-week-look.html#comment-855804 Apreche Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-855804 Can I even see it in NYC where I'm lucky if I can see a single star due to city lights? Will it really be that bright? Can I even see it in NYC where I’m lucky if I can see a single star due to city lights? Will it really be that bright?

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