I know its a few stargazers on here. http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090811/sc_space/strongmeteorshowerexpectedtonight The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show this week for those willing to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait patiently for the shooting stars. In North America, the best time to watch will be between midnight to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, but late Tuesday night and also Wednesday night could prove fruitful, weather permitting. The Perseids are always reliable, and sometimes rather spectacular. The only things that puts a damper on the August show are bad weather or bright moonlight. Unfortunately this week, as the Perseids reach their peak Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the moon will be high in the sky, outshining the fainter meteors. Still, skywatchers around the globe will have a good chance of spotting the brighter meteors. Some already are enjoying the show. When to watch The best time to watch is between midnight and dawn Wednesday. Forecasters say the best stretch could come between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. ET (1-2 a.m. PT), which would be after daybreak in Europe. Some Perseids might be visible late Tuesday night, and Wednesday night into Thursday morning could prove worthwhile, too. Meteor forecasting is still in its infancy, however, so the best bet for anyone truly hungry to spot shooting stars is to get in as much observing time as possible from around 11 p.m. Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday, and if you miss that show, try the same time frame Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. Meteors should be visible in the pre-dawn hours, weather permitting, all around the Northern Hemisphere. "Earth passes through the densest part of the debris stream sometime on Aug. 12," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "Then, you could see dozens of meteors per hour." Viewing tips The best location is far from city and suburban lights. Ideally, find a structure, mountain or tree to block the moon. Then scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward, they'll all point to the constellation Perseus. People in locations where any chill might occur should dress warmer than they think necessary to allow for prolonged viewing. Seasoned skywatchers advise using a blanket or lounge chair for comfort, so you can lie back and look up for long periods. Allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. Then expect meteors to be sporadic: You might see two in a row, or several minutes could go by between shooting stars. Avid meteor watchers might want to try scanning the northeastern horizon from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. local time (your local time, wherever you are) for Perseids that graze the horizon. "Earthgrazers are meteors that approach from the horizon and skim the atmosphere overhead like a stone skipping across the surface of a pond," Cooke explained. "They are long, slow and colorful – among the most beautiful of meteors." He notes that an hour of watching may net only a few of these at most, but seeing even one can make the whole night worthwhile.
Hopefully cloud cover won't ruin it for people. And for the true space nerds : http://wowzaweb.streamguys.com/~spaceweather/
Thanks for the reminder! Won't be able to get too far away from the city but I'm still hoping the fog burns off here.
Its really visible here in the country. I think this is the only advantage of being in hempstead. I was in Alaska this time last year and it was crystal clear there.
Just went out to the outskirts of Austin (2222, 360 area), went up to Emma Long Park and layed out for 2 hours. Nada. Except for 1 shooting star. I feel gypped.
I could barely see stars; there were wisps of thin clouds sorta of obstructing the view too. Add a particularly bright moon.... it's not happening.
Ugh.. won't be able to see it with all the clouds that are supposed to be here tonight.. and it's also very bright where I live... still worth a look I guess to see if I can see any.
I was out about 1-1:30am (Northwest of Austin) , and saw 5 in about 10 minutes... a couple of really good ones with the cloudy streaks and everything. Should see them for a few nights, as I understand it.
