Meteor shower starting tonight
Discussion
I went outside for a couple of hours last night and saw 2 satellites and about 15 meteors. Some were little tiddlers but a few were really bright with big tails.
Now here's the strange bit...
I'd just been inside for a top up and when I went back out I looked up and saw a long thick cloud (about 2 inch long if I measured it with an outstretched arm iykwim) it looked like a aeroplane contrail but thicker and more dense it hung in the air for about 3 seconds then disipated very quickly.
Anyone know what it was? I think it was a large meteor that got further into our atmosphere before burning up as another meteor I saw left a similar trail but much fainter and only lasted a split second after it had burnt up.
Wish I'd have seen the meteor that caused the first trail I bet it was huge.
Btw it was heading south between the triangle of Deneb, Vegas and Altair at 0021.
Now here's the strange bit...
I'd just been inside for a top up and when I went back out I looked up and saw a long thick cloud (about 2 inch long if I measured it with an outstretched arm iykwim) it looked like a aeroplane contrail but thicker and more dense it hung in the air for about 3 seconds then disipated very quickly.
Anyone know what it was? I think it was a large meteor that got further into our atmosphere before burning up as another meteor I saw left a similar trail but much fainter and only lasted a split second after it had burnt up.
Wish I'd have seen the meteor that caused the first trail I bet it was huge.
Btw it was heading south between the triangle of Deneb, Vegas and Altair at 0021.
One of the meteors I saw last night left a very obvious ionisation trail - which faded, as you said, in about 2 to 3 seconds. They are very pretty.
Here's a video of some examples. Some are more obvious than others -
https://vimeo.com/59761584
Here's a video of some examples. Some are more obvious than others -
https://vimeo.com/59761584
I went out at 10:00 last night. There were not many meteors (2 in 10 minutes), however the first one that I saw was stunning. It was extremely bright and exploded about half way along its path. I've seen them culminate in a fireball before, but they have always disappeared at the point of explosion. This one carried on as a wide streak of light.
It happened at about 2 minutes past ten. Did anybody else see it?
It happened at about 2 minutes past ten. Did anybody else see it?
Eric Mc said:
I think I did. I went out around ten and immediately saw a bright meteor. It was travelling more or less due south (from my viewpoint)
That might have been it. It was travelling slightly west of South. It lit up in Cygnus and carried on through Lyra. Apparently, it has been captured by a network of meteor watchers, so I should be able to see some video of it tonight. Hopefully I didn't imagine the "elongated explosion".I'll post a link if I am allowed to.
There may be some residual Perseid meteors knocking about. They always peak in numbers around August 12 as the earth ploughs through the thickest part of Comet Swift-Tuttle's tail.
Spending a few minutes looking up on a clear night is always rewarding - even if there isn't a meteor shower.
Spending a few minutes looking up on a clear night is always rewarding - even if there isn't a meteor shower.
hornetrider said:
kazste said:
Not really no, but she does want to see it. See is however very easily bored.
Is there anything else that could occupy her time in the dark in the middle of nowhere while you stare up at the sky? 
It's a shame this thread got moved from the Lounge where I posted it as I think the phenomena deserved a wider audience, although maybe it would have been swamped/lost in there.
I knew very little, but thanks to the contributors here I now know a lot more
For instance, I never knew you could see satellites and the ISS, we went out on Weds and saw these and a few Meteors, but sadly not many. We had to come in due to neck ache in the end.
May be better organised next time with an airbed/sun lounger or something
There are some more meteor showers during the year. For example, there is the Leonid Shower which occurs every November. In theory it isn't usually as active as the Perseids but these showers vary enormously from year to year.
Also, being winter, if you get a clear sky it tend to be darker and clearer - and you get more hours of darkness.
Regarding putting things in the Lounge, seven or so years ago the PH management team decided to create lots of new fora for specific areas. This is one of the reasons we have a "Science" forum. It does mean that topics get hived off into "specialist" areas where they tend not to reach as big an audience. Sometimes people don't even know that these sub-fora exist. As a result topics in the specialist thread tend to get a smaller audience.
For instance, you state that you didn't realise that you could see the ISS. We've had an "ISS Spotting" thread in this forum for years. You obviously never ventured over to the "Science Forum" or you would have spotted that thread.
The good bit is that you get less nonsense and dumb comments about such topics as those who are genuinely interested in the subject make up the bulk of the posters.
Also, being winter, if you get a clear sky it tend to be darker and clearer - and you get more hours of darkness.
Regarding putting things in the Lounge, seven or so years ago the PH management team decided to create lots of new fora for specific areas. This is one of the reasons we have a "Science" forum. It does mean that topics get hived off into "specialist" areas where they tend not to reach as big an audience. Sometimes people don't even know that these sub-fora exist. As a result topics in the specialist thread tend to get a smaller audience.
For instance, you state that you didn't realise that you could see the ISS. We've had an "ISS Spotting" thread in this forum for years. You obviously never ventured over to the "Science Forum" or you would have spotted that thread.
The good bit is that you get less nonsense and dumb comments about such topics as those who are genuinely interested in the subject make up the bulk of the posters.
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