Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Perseid Meteor Shower


Well the above image is my best Perseid meteor, it was taken a couple nights ago during a wild Aurora event, and I might add made the front page of SpaceWeather.com, and their online Aurora gallery here. I'll be posting a bunch of the Aurora images next post, as far as the actual shower, well the picture below speaks for itself, lots of clouds and lightning.


I should have known better, after all on my way to my site I almost hit a black cat, slammed on the brakes, the cat stares at me with shiny black eyes, then crosses in front of me, I figure I'm doomed. I get to the site and take some pics of the clouds and lightning just in case I get lucky and a Perseid crosses my path as well, no luck, so I sit it out in my car hoping the clouds roll away. Two hours later, they do, woo hoo, get out of the car, set up my equipment and start enjoying the shower and taking pics.



Got some images, the meteors themselves were very small and fast, then all of a sudden off to my right and behind me, the brightest meteor in Cosmos land, think it burned a hole in my retina and I wasn't even looking at it, the camera of course was pointing towards Perseus, where the meteors are supposed to be.


So I'm minding my own business viewing the meteor shower when along comes the Fuzz, driving slowly by my location, then stops and starts to back up.


So I'm thinking to myself, look inconspicuous, well as inconspicuous as a man on a dirt road with a tripod and camera in the middle of nowhere at 1:00 am can be. I'm going through all the possible scenarios of what is about to take place, like can they arrest me? Like the master chess player and wordsmith I am, I anticipate and meticuliously plan out the various possibilities of intelligent banter that will ensue. So the officer exits the vehicle, walks up to me and says;

Police guy : "Taking Pictures?"

Me: "Yeah, I'm taking pictures of meteors"

Police guy: "Cool, I wish I was, I have a camera as well"

Me: "Cool"

It went on a little longer, and then he had to get back to patrolling the city, fun well it lasted, always cool when your not arrested. After about half an hour the clouds rolled back in and it was back home for me. I stayed up all night in case the sky opened up again, at 4:30 it was clear, went back out, saw a few more and was lucky enough to capture another Perseid.


I'll leave you with a clip a put together of some of the meteors and Iridiums I've imaged since the camera purchase.

33 comments:

Nature Nut /JJ Loch said...

WOW!!! What a Perseid meteor story. Loved every minute of it. Glad you saw some great meteor flashes. While I was reading about the Fuzz, I was wishing I could loan you my backyard so you didn't have to worry about the road traffic.

SUPER POST AND IMAGES!!!

Blessings! JJ

Texas Travelers said...

Drat! Totally cloudy and no rain.
Double Drat.

Nice photos.

Thanks for the visit.
Troy

Swubird said...

Bob:

Those are absolutely great images of the meteors. And, your patience is like a boulder. Never move, and never give up. That's why you always get your shot. The video and the music were great also. Loved them all.

Keep up the outstanding work.

Happy stargazing.

Sherer said...

LOL, "always cool when you don't get arrested!" ah that was funny. THe meteor show has been pretty spectacular I must say. Nice story, nice pics.

RW said...

You mean you can get arrested for shooting the stars up there lol!

Nice job Bob!

kml said...

Congrats on your front page of Spaceweather, Bob! That first image is something else - I can only dream of ever seeing the auroras, and you got them with a meteor too - wow!

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks JJ, I would love to use your backyard, keep away from the Fuzz, lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Troy, too sad for you to miss the shower,:(

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks swubird, appreciate the kind words.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Jesse, did you see the shower?\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, good one Roger.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Kathy, and to think I almost didn't go out that night, whew, that was a close one,lol.\m/\m/

Anonymous said...

Hey, congratulations on the spaceweather.com feature!

I had no idea that you could actually see meteors in the day time. Wow! And you actually got a picture of one! Double Wow.

Anonymous said...

You got some great picture of the perseid meteors. I wish I had been able to see them. Where I live there are too many lights. So I really enjoyed seeing them in your pictures.

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

Anonymous said...

Nice shots Bob. I think you are giving me a bit of a case of vertigo, though! lol!

You really put in the effort to get these shots. Even in the middle of the night and still get to your day job!

MYM said...

lol @ the Fuzz. What are you 90? My sis was all freaked out when the cops drove by us slowly the last time we went out to watch a meteor shower, I was like ... we're not doing anything illegal, lol.

Glad ya didn't hit the cat. That would have been way worse bad luck for it ya know.

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Shirley, It was actually very bright ,thats why I got it, very cool to get a daytime type meteor.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Will, I actually took the day off to do this, didn't get any sleep,lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks AngelBaby, I know what you mean, had to go out of town for these ones, too light in the city.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol drowsey, I felt like 90 by the end of the night, I was concerned with the Fuzz as I was on private property just out of the city, thought he was going to kick me off,lol. hitting the cat would have been bad, almost went in the ditch to avoid him/her.\m/\m/

Marvin said...

Very cool, I'm glad your encounter with the local constable went well! Beautiful pix, and yes, the meteors always flash where you're NOT looking - it's a rule.

Anonymous said...

Hi Bob, Congrats for getting published. The interaction with the police guy was entertaining too. So you hang around in the middle of nowhere at 1 am and take pictures of inconspicuous objects... :) LOL

Peter said...

Hi Bob! Well, we may soon have to pay to start coming here. Congratulations on another publication.

You're a man of many talents with your guitar playing as amazing as the unique images you showcase here.

Mind you, the money you could make would certainly come in handy for bail money.

Take Care,
Peter

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks marvin, the police guy was pretty cool, especially since I was on private property.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Priyank, the conversation did add a little to the evening, and while he was there we saw a couple meteors to boot.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Peter, can't take credit for the sound track, not me playing, although I have thought of putting down my guitar playing as a background, maybe in an upcoming movie.\m/\m/

Ruth said...

Did you have to work the next day?? Sounds like a combination of good and frustrating, but cool about the copper, and I LOVE that photo of his car!!

I just really like how you tell us all about the outings along with the astronomy stuff.

Anonymous said...

Sorry I'm late Bob. I seem to be the one consistently bring up the rear lately LOL
Life is becoming too crazy. I absolutely love this post. You have quite a flare for story telling my friend. Do take the time to visit the MW Society page and maybe post your usual something great stuff again?
Take care and have a great weekend.
~JD

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Ruth, glad you get me, I got the day off, my boss understands about astronomy, he bought one of my scopes, so the meteor shower was a given day off,lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks JD, I may run one of my posts again on the MWS, you have built quite an excellent site there, congrats, the quality is something else that's why I'm still amazed you want me,lol \m/\m/

Anonymous said...

superb captures Bob, and I so wish that the skies were good to shoot some but they were not :( clouded all of the time especially in the night, oh well, at least i was able to see yours and read some great info too, thanks buddy and sorry for not visiting more often but will be home in 2 weeks and than things should get better :)

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Tatiana, too bad you wern't able to view and capture some of the shower, good to see you back.\m/\m/

Max-e said...

Great post Bob and interesting commentary as always. I must say that I admire your perseverance - I need my beauty sleep, so I don't think I could stay up all night like you do.