Raining Perseids!

[hyphenate]

Explanation: Tonight is a good night to see meteors. Comet dust will rain down on planet Earth, streaking through dark skies in the annual Perseid meteor shower. While enjoying the anticipated space weather, astronomer Fred Bruenjes recorded a series of many 30 second long exposures spanning about six hours on the night of 2004 August 11/12 using a wide angle lens. Combining those frames which captured meteor flashes, he produced this dramatic view of the Perseids of summer. Although the comet dust particles are traveling parallel to each other, the resulting shower meteors clearly seem to radiate from a single point on the sky in the eponymous constellation Perseus. The radiant effect is due to perspective, as the parallel tracks appear to converge at a distance. Bruenjes notes that there are 51 Perseid meteors in the composite image, including one seen nearly head-on. This year, the Perseids Meteor Shower is expected to peak after midnight tonight, in the moonless early morning hours of August 12.

Courtesy of the Astopic of the day!
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

[Mz Pip]

1. I'm spending the night

on my deck. We're at about 4500 ft and there is little light pollution so I'm hoping for a good show!

Mz Pip
:dem:

[NYC]

4. Is that picture in the opening post what you are likely to see?

If so, I envy you. Have fun. :hi:

[The Straight Story]

8. I have seen it like that in the desert near Ridgecrest before, amazing to see

Hopefully I will see some good stuff tonight!

[NYC]

11. Good luck.

I hope you see something spectacular.

[Mz Pip]

12. It's clear here tonight

There was a forest fire a couple of days ago but that has been put out, so it should be good viewing.

When it's clear here, we can see the Milky Way so I'm hoping this will be a good show. :bounce:

Mz Pip
:dem:

[hyphenate]

6. I wish it were going to be clear tonight

But the weather report says clouds. I've got my fingers crossed.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

2. Beautiful :)

Thanks hyphenate :pals:

[supernova]

3. Hope to see some tonight!

Hope it won't be too cloudy here. :D

[uppityperson]

5. Doing the "no clouds" chant. Last night was cloudy.

I wish I wish I wish I wish I wish...

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. about midnight here now - good seeing conditions (for in a town)

I can see about 1 every 2 minutes.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

9. ahhhh...another APOD fan

will be in the backyard starting about midnight...hope for good viewing conditions...

sP

[InvisibleTouch]

10. I have no hope of seeing them from here...

...so your picture is as close as I'll get. Thanks!

[cherokeeprogressive]

13. I'm at 6800ft in Big Bear and it's actually been pretty active for the last four days or so

If tonight is anything at all like it's cracked up to be it's going to be a very serious show.