Yes - everyone loves a good meteor shower, right? Well I've been trying to see one since I was 5 years old. Meteors ("shooting stars" "falling stars" "fireballs" etc.) are fairly common and I've seen plenty of those over the years. But an actual "shower" as in the photo to the left? Zero. Zip. None. Not for lack of trying. Seems that luck just eludes when it comes to these events. Take the last shower - the Orionids Oct. 21/22. Saw one or two flashes before clouds moved in. That's it. Friends recorded dozens of flashes per hour. One acquaintance even recorded the "sounds" meteors make as they burn up in the upper atmosphere. A few years ago I tried dragging my kids out on a cold night to see what was supposed to be a "spectacular" shower. Kids were wise enough to stay in bed. I caught pneumonia after falling asleep on a local soccer field - while waiting for the clouds to clear. Same friend (the guy with the sound recording device) was on a boat on the same (clear) night miles away from shore and any lights. He saw the sky literally light up - as close to the picture posted as he can describe.
Still not giving up though. Astronomers predict a once-in-a-lifetime event in 2014 so we'll see. There will be many more opportunities before then I'm sure.
Still not giving up though. Astronomers predict a once-in-a-lifetime event in 2014 so we'll see. There will be many more opportunities before then I'm sure.
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