And the amateur astronomers get the short end of the stick... Again...

Cities-- While I think they're a great and uber cool thing, the idea is somewhat starting to aggravate me...

Last night, my boyfriend decided he was going to take me out to see the Persieds meteor shower... We had to drive WAY out to the middle of nowhere to be able to find a place dark enough to be able to see... So we pull into this open field, park, get out of the car, and start looking... Not 10 minutes later this 50-something woman cop pulls up, asks for ID, etc... 10 minutes after that, she insisted that we get back in the car, and drive back to our parish line... The only problem is that everywhere in our parish is filled with lights...

So once again, amateur astronomers get bit in the butt... Just needed to rant a bit... I almost feel better now...

What's a parish line? Are you not allowed where you went to watch them?

Parish line is what a county line is in every other state but Louisiana... We basically had to go out of our county to find a good spot... We really weren't anywhere we weren't supposed to be, either...

Alcor, I do so sympathise with you.

My question is - who was this woman? What right had she to tell you what to do? Why didn't you explain about wanting to watch the meteor shower?

I missed it because in Gloucester in the UK where I live, there is so much light pollution, it is impossible to see the night sky!

That sounds crappy. Were you on private property or something? If it was just a field, I don't see anything wrong it what you guys where doing.

We're both under 18 and look it, so they were checking for curfew purposes....

No private property-- We weren't doing anything wrong... In our city, there's massive amounts of light pollution too- We had to drive a ways out... And I still didn't see a one...

The woman was a cop... But it still pissed me off...

We told her what we were doing, but I don't think she believed us until after she took our ID's and was talking on her radio thingy, and all we cared about doing was looking at the sky for meteors!!

Maybe this will make you feel a LITTLE better.

I live in a place, where the air is pretty clear, and not much light pollution.
But , My wife and I went camping, 200 miles away, at a higher elevation, (about 10,000 feet)..The air is very clear there, and it's a desert region, very dry. Other meteor watchers were there as well...
Guess what?
It was overcast one night, and rained, the entire night after!!!

no meteors, but lots of lightning!...
I could have stayed home for that..

yeah the whole ordeal sucked...

I am Alcor's Boyfriend. Guess whose idea her name was

I'm still quite upset over the deal.

Rain in the desert??? RAIN IN THE DESERT!!!! One day out of the year you wanna see these meteors and it RAINS!!! Ah, man, sorry Spacedoubt-- that sucks...

At least you didn't get stopped by middle aged women cops... ha ha...