Author Topic: Perseid  (Read 4026 times)

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Offline mackbig

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Perseid
« on: August 12, 2010, 04:35:02 PM »
Wish I was up north at the cottage tonight.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100812/national/meteor_shower

No moon, chance of aurora too.

Andrew

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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2010, 04:48:29 PM »
   The Perseids can be an awesome sight.  It would be out of sight to see them with the aurora going on too.  I have not observed the Perseids for a few years but back in the early 90's I think it was it looked like the Earth was under attack from an alien mothership!! :shock:

Offline Aquatic

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2010, 05:09:17 PM »
Too bad above us are stormy clouds. ](*,) #-o
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Offline BigOkie

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2010, 05:20:22 PM »
Guess it's long photo exposure night at the house for me....absolutely clear tonight (albeit hot; around 90F at midnight).
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Offline W Thomas

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2010, 10:09:08 PM »
I noticed my Davis Console was scrolling that today..but it's sort of overcast here now so I doubt we could view it.
What are the peak hours to view??



Wayne


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Offline mackbig

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2010, 10:16:02 PM »
Now, till 3 or 4am. Taking camera and tripod out right now.

Andrew

I noticed my Davis Console was scrolling that today..but it's sort of overcast here now so I doubt we could view it.
What are the peak hours to view??



Wayne

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline SlowModem

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2010, 10:21:01 PM »
What are the peak hours to view??
Wayne

Here's everything you ever wanted to know about it:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/spectacularmeteorshowerandrareplanetalignmentcoincide

Happy viewing!   =D>

I'm gonna have to break down and buy a telescope one of these days.   :-k
« Last Edit: August 12, 2010, 10:22:32 PM by Slow Modem »
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline BigOkie

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2010, 11:22:15 PM »
What are the peak hours to view??
Wayne

Here's everything you ever wanted to know about it:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/spectacularmeteorshowerandrareplanetalignmentcoincide

Happy viewing!   =D>

I'm gonna have to break down and buy a telescope one of these days.   :-k

Don't even really need a telescope to see it...
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Offline SlowModem

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2010, 11:31:07 PM »
Don't even really need a telescope to see it...

I was thinking more about all of the planets mentioned in that article.
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline W Thomas

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2010, 11:44:12 PM »
Thanks Andrew, Greg and all !
Looks like it may be clearing up here some so if the light pollution from town and  a couple of DD's close to me don't ruin it I may give it a shot.
And providing my back meds don't kick in and put me in la la land as they usually do :-)  I don't know which is the lesser of 2 evils possible surgery I'm facing or Physical Therapy LOL!

Don't know if my Sony Camcorder with Enhanced Night Shot would do anything or not but I might try!

Have a Good Night !


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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2010, 12:28:33 AM »
What are the peak hours to view??
Wayne
Here's everything you ever wanted to know about it:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/spectacularmeteorshowerandrareplanetalignmentcoincide
Happy viewing!   =D>
I'm gonna have to break down and buy a telescope one of these days.   :-k
   Whenever I hear someone is interested in getting a telescope I have to give them the following warnings.  A persons first telescope can make the difference between a lifetime of enjoyment or a very short misserable experience! If you do go out to get a telescope make sure you get something worthwhile. You must avoid the "department" store telescopes that promise magnifications of 600x and such. I observed for 15 years and I never came close to using a magnification that high.  And, the mount on those cheap scopes are just too wobbly.  Get something with a good solid mount.  Also, there a a lot of different types of telescopes. Decide what type of observing you want to do.  You mentioned the planets so a refractor would probably be the type you want though they are more expensive. Go to a place that specializes in telescopes so that you can get good advice from the people there.  Even better is find a local Astronomy Club and go to one of their observing sessions.  They will let you test drive different kinds of telescopes.  If you get a good telescope you will enjoy it and keep observing for a long time.  If you get a cheap crappy scope it will go into a closest and never see the light of stars again.  And, I have one of those crappy telescopes that was given to me as a present when I was 16.  It was a nightmare to use and you could hardly do anything with it. I now have 3 telescopes. I have 2, 8" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, and a 12 inch Dobsonian. They all do a good job. The 2 Meade scopes are good general purpose telescopes and the 12-inch is best for observing deep sky targets like galaxies, nebulae and the such.  You need dark skies for that type of observing.  I could go on and on.
    Good luck and take your time!! There are a lot of good websites you can go to for help picking telescopes.
Mark

Offline Cienega32

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2010, 02:42:19 AM »
Good, sound advice Mark.

I remember when I was a single digit aged kid (early 1960s) and my mom brought home a reflector. It was enough to spark my interest and appreciation but... you know the rest, I'm sure. But it did the trick as a young boy. Never did get around to getting a real one (like yours). Maybe soon before I lose my Dark Skies.

Anyway - went outside a bit ago and caught a few great multi-colored rippers! I probably would've stayed longer if it wasn't for the skeeters I know were munching away but that quiet rustling in the bushes sent me back in. The coyotes have been howling lately...

My NE cam is aimed about right so I made another schedule of 16 second exposures every 2 minutes. That would be cool to catch one or two.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2010, 12:29:57 AM by Cienega32 »

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Offline mackbig

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2010, 06:17:54 AM »
I saw lots of little ones, and about 10 that truly streaked across the sky.  Was out from 10:30 to 11:30.  Was worth staying up and out for, surprisingly no skeeters, or none that I felt.  I dont think any of my pics captured them.  I have a few I might enhance to see for sure. While it was totally clear out, there was enough solar radiation that I had to leave it open too long, and got some wash.  Would have been awesome in a place with no city lights....

Andrew

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Offline KeithBC

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2010, 11:35:17 AM »
I looked for them before I went to bed and again in the middle of the night.  There were plenty of them, at least one a minute, including some that left noticeable trails that lasted a second or two.  Pretty cool stuff.

I didn't see the planetary alignment.  Being surrounded by forest, I can't see anything that is within 20 degrees of the horizon.

Offline mackbig

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2010, 04:21:31 PM »
50 pics and and hour outside, only caught one.  Had to lighten that one a bit, as I killed the exposure as soon as I saw it streak.

Here are a selection.  Pics are forum res, at 800*536, around 30-56K each

Captured a plane going accross frame (sharpened and -15 brightness)


300 second exposure, can actually see rotation (darkened 100 and bw'd)


shot of anny with stars in background (unaltered)


another shot of anny with stars in background (unaltered)


And the only one that actually caught a meteorite. (increase brightness by 5)


Got another cool one of vp2 ISS with houses and stars in backgound, but just did not come out when going from hi res to forum res.
I tighened the f stop a bit, got some more, but only good in high res, just star pics.  Lots of red ones out there (you lose colour the longer its open, and wider the f).  And in one view there is a line of stars that are very close together.  Assume it has a name, will research.

Andrew

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Offline W Thomas

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #15 on: August 13, 2010, 05:41:34 PM »
Great pictures!!
My pain medication worked flawlessly so naturally I didn't make it until optimum viewing time #-o

Looks like it will be a little clearer tonight..might try again if they are still visible.


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Offline Cienega32

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Re: Perseid
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2010, 12:34:19 AM »
The interesting thing about last nite here was the the clouds blow out shortly after sundown but over the mountains lightning was still popping about. Every now and then the sky would just brighten up towards the East.

We clouded over pretty good this afternoon with about 9 drops of rain, some good thunder and 100.2*F so I doubt I'll have anything good to see.

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