Monday 12 August 2013

Make a wish!

There were clouds in the sky, some. Nevertheless, we were optimistic last night. 'Where there is a will, there is a way', they say. We took our car and drove until Ashton Court, where lights don't reach, where everything is darkness the moment we shut off the side lights.

It took us 20 minutes to get used to the darkness. As the minutes passed by, more and more stars appeared in the sky. Sadly, the sky was not fully clear. However, stars seem to be fighting against the clouds to reach our sights.

Silently, we started thinking about the wish we would make, in case we saw a shooting star. And suddently, out of the blue, we saw one! A big shooting star, travelling across the clouds! It scared us, it was so unexpected that none of us was able to make a wish!

Picture taken from Earthsky.org

Perseid Meteor Showers happen every year in the Northern Hemisphere, around 10-12 August, even though they are probably visible nights before or after too. The natural occurrence is a result of material falling from the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet last passed the Earth in 1992 but its trail collides with the atmosphere during the Earth's orbit of the Sun. The clearer the sky is, the better you will appreaciate the Perseid shower. 

Tonight, apparently, clear skies are predicted for much of the UK. So, I suggest you take a blanket and leave the heavily light polluted city to witness a natural firework!

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