[meteorite-list] persieds meteors

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

Steve A. (Elgin, IL) wrote:

>Hello list and good evening.Do not forget,next friday the 12th,is  the
>annual persied meteor swarm.It will be able to be seen in  the
>constellation of pegasus.Best viewing will be on the 12th,but viewing  will
>also be possible a day before the 12th,and a couple of days after.I  like
>to get the old binoculars and look at those old shooting stars.It  usually
>is quite the view.
 
Thanks Ron and Steve for the heads up.  I am not sure what Steve  (Elgin, IL) 
means about the shower of "Tears of Saint Lawrence" being  seen in Pegasus, 
though this is true and may be a nice view, these are the  Perseids, of course, 
and no constellation negotiated an  exclusive... 
 
Pegasus was born from Neptune's foamy seed and the blood of Medusa, who  used 
to be an object of Poseidon's  (Neptune) desire until they made love  in 
Athena's temple, defiling it and involking Athena's wrath.  When Perseus  had 
decapitated her as a sort of labor (Perseus was a grandfather of Hercules),  and 
was then able to mount the flying horse to free sacrificial Andromeda, the  
daughter of the Vain!y Boastfu! African Queen Cassiopeia, Perseus and Pegasus  
are different constellations and there is little need to be constellation saavy  
if you casually want to join the fun.  The Great Square of Pegasus will  
probably be the most recognizable asterism two or three dozen degrees  (1/6 of the 
visible sky) above the radiant of the shower in Perseus  (between the very 
bright star Capella and Mars), and if  you pick the right  diagonal it will 
point there, but then again, so will the meteors!  Taurus,  Pisces, Cygnus (the 
bright cross also points to Perseus), and Draco, Aries,  Andromeda, and 
Cassiopeia (the obvious "W") as well as the rest of the sky ought  to be good as well.
 
Queen Cassiopeia's "W", near  the radiant, Capella and Mars form a  triangle 
around Perseus.  I wouldn't recommend binoculars unless they were  of the 
Cetus-eye variety (whale-eye lenses)...or after you've had your own  eyeful of the 
natural feel.  The Perseids are the kind of meteors that are  impressive by 
the unaided, alert, scanning and darting eye, if you can just find  a nice, 
reasonably dark spot! These are bright, fast meteors, and only someone  with 
Cowboy Charlie Brown would have the reflexes to grab the binocs and catch a  
meteor he first located with his eye.
 
Some nice nights ahead, now's the time to get a date with a companion  or 
two, to share in the fun...
Saludos, Doug