posted on Aug, 13 2007 @ 10:24 AM
The 2007 Perseid Meteor Shower has been nothing short of "amazing".
I viewed the Perseids on the consecutive nights Fri/Sat, Sat/Sun (August 10th - 12th ) from an excellent vantage point, Kettle Point, Ontario on the
shores of Lake Huron which provided me with clear, unobstructed panoramic views.
The skies were ideal for viewing on Sat/Sun, August 11th - 12th. The weather was perfect. The moon was waxing -- nearly a New Moon. Thus, the sky
was very dark. Coupled with negligible ambient light at my viewing locale one couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to see this annual
heavenly display.
Though many astronomy sites reported that Sun/Mon, August 13th would be the "peak" for the Perseids, I certainly was not disappointed at all.
Frankly, I would say that the Perseids peaked early. At one point, before midnight,I counted 10 meteors in an hour with one of them being a brilliant
"earth grazer" which seemed to drag across the sky! It was beautiful. By 4am - 5am, I counted 39 meteorites.
For those interested in viewing the Perseids, it's certainly not too late. Yes, the shower may have peaked but one can still have an excellent
opportunity to see them throughout this week. Of course the frequency will gradually diminish as will the viewing conditions as the moon waxes (Full
Moon on August 28th).
Here is a
Meteorite "Flux-o-meter". You can set the flux-o-meter for viewing the Persieds and
it will graph a the expected frequency of meteorites per hour over the coming week. The site also has an applet you can use to help determine the
best viewing locations in your area, away from city lights.
[edit on 8/13/2007 by benevolent tyrant]