Perseid Meteor Shower Radiant

ASTRONOMY: Summer meteor showers about to rev up

Pull out the lawn chairs and get ready for a summer of spectacular meteor showers, says Tyler Nordgren, a physics professor at the University of Redlands.

While the first summer shower won't come along until July 28 and 29, when the Southern Delta Aquarid meteors arrive, Nordgren is encouraging people to do some sky watching tonight, in observance of National Meteor Day. The day kicks off a two-week period during which the number of meteors gradually picks up to a high of up to 60 per hour.

The Southern Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at the peak and can be seen by looking east after midnight. The radiant point -- the place in the sky where all the meteors will appear to come from -- will be in the constellation Aquarius.

"To see a meteor shower, families need no equipment more complicated than lawn chairs or blankets. Just find a dark place away from streetlights, lie down and look up," said Nordgren, the author of "Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks."

"Starting at the end of July, we then slowly build to the most consistently impressive meteor shower of summer, the Perseid meteor shower of August 13 and 14," he said.

The full moon will impact viewing of the fainter meteors by the time the Perseids peak, so viewers should seek out a dark location the first week of August.

Meteors are small pieces of rock and metal that form a stream of debris when a comet breaks up.

The showers occur when Earth passes through the stream.

Nordgren was an astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory and Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz.

He was part of a team of seven astronomers and artists who converted the Spirit and Opportunity Mars Rover camera calibration targets into functioning sundials, and saw them land safely in Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum on Mars.

In November, a new sundial that Nordgren helped design will head for Mars when NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Rover Curiosity launches from Florida.

Nordgren also is a member of the National Park Service Night Sky Team, which works to protect dark skies in the parks and promote astronomy education.

Submitted to The Press-Enterprise

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Muse from a Broad

Main Entry: dream, verb Definition: To experience dreams or daydreams. Synonyms: daydream, fantasize, woolgather Main Entry: ponder Part of Speech: verb Definition: To think or think about carefully and at length. Synonyms: chew on, cogitate, consider, contemplate, deliberate, entertain, excogitate, meditate, mull, reflect, revolve, ruminate, study, think, think out, think over, think through, turn over, weigh July 28, 29 - Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower usually peaks on July 28 & 29, but some meteors can also be seen from July 18 - August 18. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. This year the thin, crescent moon will be hanging around for the show, but it shouldn’t cause too many problems. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight from a dark location. August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower's peak usually occurs on August 13 & 14, but you may be able to see some meteors any time from July 23 - August 22. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. The full moon will definitely be a problem this year, hiding the fainter meteors with its glare. But with up to 60 meteors per hour possible, it could still be a great show. Find a location far from city lights and look to the northeast after midnight.

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