Meteor
There is compensation for having to be up before dawn. Experiencing the beauty of the streaming end of night. The cool air, the quiet, the subtle colors. This morning, the air was crystalline, the moon and stars piercing. And then, the brightest meteor I have ever seen. It's been years since the last one, and this was dramatic, left a trail, covered a remarkable arc of sky, and felt close enough to scrape roofs.
I thought about it all day, and looked it up when I pulled my brain together after I got home.
The results surprized me, and leave me feeling touched by the universe itself.
Mark Twain thank you.
I thought about it all day, and looked it up when I pulled my brain together after I got home.
The results surprized me, and leave me feeling touched by the universe itself.
Mark Twain thank you.
Labels: weather
Posted by Zhoen on Friday, October 13, 2006
9 comments:
Interesting links, zhoen. Cool story about Twain.
I've always associated meteor showers with Oregon, as I'd never seen anything like that in Michigan. From the other link I learned that the showers started in '86, the year I moved out here.
I kind of miss driving to work in the middle of the night--I'm missing all that awesome sky stuff now.
I remember seeing shooting starts at Granny's all the time. She was out in the suburbs of Windsor, less light pollution, and I was out much, much later than usual for me. Granny was a night owl.
I love the hours before dawn too. Best time of day. Thanks for the links Zhoen.
First meteor shower: mountain pass, south border of Montana, late night. There must have been hundreds of brief flares searing the sky.
Alas, light pollution eats children in this part of the world (ie. it is bad). My only hope is something like this. Also, I am asleep.
From the other link I learned that the showers started in '86, the year I moved out here.
(Psst, it may have been a billion years or two before that...)
Pacian,
Oh, I love the idea of Lights Out. Might save on electricity as well.
Jess was referring specifically to the Halley Comet remains, not to meteor showers in general. But, as you say, you are asleep.
Halley's Comet has been leaving debris in its orbit for as long as its been in that orbit.
Exactly how long that is, it's difficult to say. I assumed a very long time, because generally that's the way things are - BUT, because comets fall apart, it actually has to be extremely recent - perhaps a few tens of thousands of years.
In any case, the Orionids were first recorded in 1839.
:-P
PS. I am awake now.
Pacian,
I stand corrected. Thank you.
cool!
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