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!

Second star to the right

The most misterious meteor shower in history might have returned this morning. Known as Gamma Delphinids, the meteor shower had only happened once before on 11th June 1930, and yesterday nobody knew for sure if it would happen or not. They were predicted to peak at 9:28 BST.

This phenomenon is called "mystical" as it was recorded for the first time more than 80 years ago and had never been observed ever since.  Projections show that the shower peaks early morning which approximately corresponds with the time when Delphinus is highest in the sky. According to scientists, the probability to observe the meteor shower in 2013 and 2027 is the highest. Unluckily, with the sursunrise at 4.54 BST and the amount of clouds today in the sky, it would have been impossible to visualize the shower in the UK at the predicted peak time (9:28 BST) anyway.

In August, however, there is a good meteor shower to watch: The Perseid Meteor. The Perseids are so-called because the point from which they appear to come lies in the constellation Perseus. The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the peak in activity 12th August. 

NASA and Bristol Astronomy Society suggest to put some warm clothes on, allow  20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark and lie on your back looking at the sky after midnight in a place away from lights with a good Southern horizon. 

The Bristol Astronomy Society has an observatory near Bristol which is open on clear Saturday nights. Located in outside the city, the observatory is equipped with telescopes that we could use to look through. They publish a message on the front page of their website if the observatory is opened or not. Contact them to know the exact location of the observatory.

INTERESTING LINKS

-----------------------------------------

• Bristol Astronomy Society: www.bristolastrosoc.org.uk
• Article 'Expected return of gamma delphinid meteor shower': http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2013/06/07/expected-return-of-the-gamma-delphinid-meteor-shower-on-june-11-2013
• Article 'Rarely seen gamma delphinids meteor'; http://space.brevardtimes.com/2013/06/rarely-seen-gamma-delphinids-meteor.html