Astronomy Toadfish Nerds Unite!

[Opsa]

The Perseids are here! According to this article, some fireballs have all ready been spotted, even though the peak is around August 12.

[Aggie]

Cool! I remember seeing some early singles, some quite large, before the main cloud a few years ago.

[Opsa]

Wahsome! Speaking of clouds, it was too cloudy to look last night, here. I'll keep an eye for them, this week.

[Opsa]

It keeps being cloudy here at night and in the early morning, so I haven't seen any yet. Clouds expected tonight, too.   

[Aphos]

NASA's APOD has a pic of the Perseids.

[Opsa]

Ah! That's wonderful. I guess we got to see some after all. Thanks, Aphos!

[Aggie]

AMAZING show here.  We camped out on a beach near a small lake, cooked some dinner and watched the sky.  There were thunderstorms all around the horizon, but the sky overhead was totally clear.  The crescent moon, turned crimson by the smoke haze in the air, dropped slowly beneath the clouds, while thunderheads lit up like flashbulbs.

The Perseids were one of the best years I've seen; it seemed like there were a far higher proportion of big trail-of-light-across-the-sky meteors than usual.  The smaller ones were more often towards the horizon, while the big ones flew overhead (hmm, or perhaps I'm just seeing the horizon-meteors from further away). 

[Opsa]

Wish I'd been there! I love the fireballs. I did hear that Chincoteague island reserve (my fave nearby beach) was kept open all night for Perseids watchers. It is a national park, and normally closes at sunset. Maybe I can plan a trip for next year or the year after.

[Opsa]

The next ones are the Draconids.


"Legendary Draconid meteors best after sunset October 7

Before nightfall, look in the southwest sky to see the waning crescent moon between the planets Venus and Saturn. On October 7, 2013 – and maybe October 8 as well – Draco the Dragon will be spitting out meteors, also known as shooting stars. The Draconid shower is predicted to produce the greatest number of meteors on the night of October 7, but the next night might be good, too. Watch for them first thing at nightfall. Fortunately, the thin waxing crescent moon won't interfere with this year's Draconid meteor display. In fact, the moon and planets set in the southwestern sky around nightfall, serving as a wonderful prelude to tonight's Draconid meteor show. "

[Aphos]

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130930.html

[Opsa]

Cool video! Thanks, Aphos!

I'm hoping to see some Draconids a week from tonight at nightfall.

[Opsa]

Rats! We have Hurricane Karen coming in on Monday, just in time for the Draconids!

[Aphos]

NASA's APOD seems to be a victim of the government shut down.  Damn Republicans.

[Opsa]

G'aaarrrrrggggghhhhhhhh! 

[Swatopluk]

Your tax dollars at work, people 
Saturn with Earth somewhere in the background
http://www.ciclops.org/view/7699/The-Day-the-Earth-Smiled?js=1