southern gentleman | STARGAZING
Peep the Perseids at their Peak By Jason Frye | Photography courtesy of Mark Taylor
August brings meteors, fireballs, and more to the night sky — and a new moon might make it all the more special this year. When I was 17 or so, my dad and I were hunting, making that pre-dawn hike into the woods to settle into our spots for daybreak. We were walking an old logging road up a ridge when we stopped to rest and take a drink. In that moment of silence — a canteen going back and forth between us — a meteor streaked across the sky, a bright, green blaze that shone then winked out, gone as suddenly as it appeared. It wasn’t an omen for the day’s hunt (I don’t recall if we did or didn’t leave with a deer) or a portent for things to come, it was just a meteor, just a moment that lives in my memory. Where I grew up was, by most standards, rural. Seeing the Milky Way was a nightly occurrence. We’d watch comets through binoculars or a cheap PTA fundraiser prize telescope. Our ears would perk up when the weatherman on WSAZ would tell us of an upcoming meteor shower. And the Perseid Meteor Shower became one of my favorites to watch. The Perseid Meteor Shower takes place from mid-July to mid-August every year. That’s when earth passes through the cosmic dust and detritus and pieces from Comet Swift-Tuttle’s 66 DeSoto
tail and we are bombarded with meteors. How many? This year, 100-150 meteors per hour are expected during the peak from Aug. 11-13. With a new moon just a few days before, those nights will be dark and if the weather’s right, the stargazing will be fabulous. Expect to see meteors, fireballs, and maybe even the rare Earthgrazer. Meteors — tiny bits of comet that burn when they enter the atmosphere — are most common. Fireballs — think of slower, slightly larger meteors, but with a bright flare as they break up during their fall – are more rare, but if you watch long enough you’ll see one or two. Earthgrazers are the most rare. These long, slow-moving, and very colorful meteors travel horizontally across the sky, appearing to graze the earth, and are visible for more than an eye-blink or two. Originating in the northeastern sky in the constellation Perseus, this meteor shower has long been among the most popular for U.S. stargazers to watch. With the kids out of school, warm summer nights, and generally clear conditions, it’s timing for us to gaze to the heavens and be amazed.
