Starship Asterisk*

The Perseids and the Plough

Explanation: Despite interfering moonlight, many denizens of planet Earth were able to watch this year's Perseid meteor shower. This pastoral scene includes local skygazers admiring the shower's brief, heavenly flashes in predawn hours near peak activity on August 13 from Nalati Grassland in Xinjiang, China. A composite, the image registers seven frames taken during a two hour span recording Perseid meteor streaks against a starry sky. Centered along the horizon is the Plough, the north's most famous asterism, though some might see the familiar celestial kitchen utensil known as the Big Dipper. Perhaps the year's most easily enjoyed meteor shower, Perseid meteors are produced as Earth itself sweeps through dust from periodic comet Swift-Tuttle. The dust particles are vaporized at altitudes of 100 kilometers or so as they plow through the atmosphere at 60 kilometers per second.

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This pastoral scene includes local skygazers...

Jersey Cows from the Far Side (of our planet).

How much energy is released when a meteor disintegrates in a flash?

Nice image... very calm
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BDanielMayfield wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:36 am

This pastoral scene includes local skygazers...

Jersey Cows from the Far Side (of our planet).

Wonder what our bovine friends call the cosmic Plough? Moo (Alkaid) - Moo-moo (Mizar and Alcor) - MOO! (Alioth) - Moo (Megrez) - Moo (Phecda) - Moo (Merak) - Moo<burp> (Dubhe)

And what do they call the Perseids? Sorry, I don't speak that much Cow.

Ann

As usual on my rainy side of the planet, it was b****y raining on the night of the 12th - and it's b*****y August!
John

PS Ann, my dear friend, the Librarian of Unseen University knows the answer! Oook!

At any rate; the Perseids don't seem to bother the cows at all!

So if I understand the description of the photo, there were 7 Perseid meteor streaks over a 2 hour period? That is about 1 every 15 minutes. That seems right. I usually spend 15 minutes craning my neck up only to here my partner say "Ooh, there goes one, did you see it?" but I was looking in the wrong direction. Rest assured though with your sympathy, I usually see one when I decide to go back in the door, turn around just for one last try, and one meteor obliges from just past the porch.

orin stepanek wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 11:37 am

BDanielMayfield wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:36 am

This pastoral scene includes local skygazers...

Jersey Cows from the Far Side (of our planet).

At any rate; the Perseids don't seem to bother the cows at all!

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

neufer wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 1:13 pm

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orin stepanek wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 11:37 am

BDanielMayfield wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:36 am

Jersey Cows from the Far Side (of our planet).

At any rate; the Perseids don't seem to bother the cows at all!

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

If you say so Art: I'll drink to that! Cheers