The annual Perseid meteor shower last night was a really good show and worth getting up in the wee hours of the morning.
The Perseids are always reliable, and sometimes rather spectacular. I try to watch for it every year, regardless of where I am in the world. The only factors that dampen the August show are bad weather, bright moonlight, or city lighting. Unfortunately this week, as the Perseids reached their peak, the moon was high in the sky, outshining the fainter meteors. But it still beat the hell out of TV and was, for me, awe inspiring.
I did some research on the world wide internet and learned that the Perseids are bits of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet has laid down several streams of cosmic flotsam and jetsam, each in a slightly different location, over the centuries as it orbits the sun. Every August, Earth passes through these debris streams, which spread out over time. So basically it's us passing through a debris field. Pretty damn cool. Even more so when most meteors are no bigger than a pea. They vaporize as they enter Earth's atmosphere, creating bright streaks across the sky.
Rock on you crazy, beautiful universe. And thanks for the light show.
No comments:
Post a Comment