Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: lainie
Thanks for the heads-up!

We had a cool front come through here in northeast Texas this afternoon, and the seeing was great -- for about a half hour until the louds rolled in at 2:30.

In a little under 30 minutes, I counted 26 Perseids (that I could trace back to the radiant). In between meteors, it wasn't boring, because the Milky Way was spectacular. I also saw almost as many "probables" -- too fleeting or faint to trace.

FWIW, the radiant seemed to me to be nearer M31, (the great Andromeda galaxy) rather than Perseus, per se... (BTW, M31 was clearly visible to the unaided eye, and was outstanding with binoculars...)

One of the Perseids was exceptionally bright and slow; it was a bright green, traversed well over 100 degrees of arc, and broke up into three parts before vanishing. Its trail lasted for at least three minutes...

Again, thanks! Wish I had seen your post earlier; I didn't get the security light switched off until nearly 2AM... :-(

13 posted on 08/12/2004 12:48:23 AM PDT by TXnMA (It's great -- being away from Boston and back in the dark boonies of God's Country...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: TXnMA
I set an alarm for 4 a.m. We saw a few, but nothing like I had been hoping to see. I'm in the desert in CA, and, believe it or not, clouds were a factor. That was weird -- I'm not used to that at all.

Glad you saw! The Leonids are a better shower, I think, although it's not nearly as pleasant watchin' weather in December. At least my kids got to make a few wishes, and we became one with our telescope and had warm cocoa. :)

14 posted on 08/12/2004 6:50:23 AM PDT by lainie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson