RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Here at the Fleischmann Planetarium, there are small bits of meteorite on display.
These are rocks which were once part of a meteor shower but made their way to the earth’s surface. They aren’t terribly impressive. But when these rocks don’t make it to earth, and instead burn up in the earth’s atmosphere, they can be seen as streaks of light across the night sky.
That impressive display of light is currently going on in what is known as the Perseid Meteor Shower.
“The best thing to do is just grab a lawn chair get access to a really dark sky,” says Seth Nuti, Manager of Planetarium Operations. “Even if you don’t have access to a really dark sky, all you have to do is look up. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.”
The debris is remnants left behind by the Swift Tuttle Comet which orbits the sun every 133 years.
Each year at this time, the earth passes through the left-behind bits and pieces from the comet. The further we get into August, the more impressive the light show will be. The peak times to see the Perseid Meteor Shower are August 12 and 13th in the early morning hours. The showers can all be seen with the naked eye. more here
I discovered the constellation Perseus.
It was in Bobcaygeon, I saw the constellations
Reveal themselves one star at a time
I thought it was kind of early for the Perseids and I was right.
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Rachael killed Deckard’s goat.