shooting stars

[tali122]

has anyone witnessed a shooting star? , i have twice - but the last time was 25 years ago and even though it lasts the merest of seconds it is still memorable.

[gen2]

You should be able to see many shooting stars every year if you want to. They are mostly the debris from comets and the orbits of many comets are strewn with this material. At certan times of the year, the earth's orbit crosses these comets' orbits and you get what are called 'meteor showers' with several shooting stars per hour. Not all years produce good shows and the weather of course can disappoint a prospective viewer.

To find out when these showers are expected, just google for "meteor shower".

[KRUSTY]

If you go outside on most clear nights you can virtually guarantee to see at least one. It's better to wait till summertime and sit in a deckchair for half an hour or so around midnight. Just switch off and look at the sky, I'm sure you'll be surprised at how many you can actually see.

[Nemesis9]

Wait until after midnight, then take a cup of tea and a deck chair out into the garden. On any clear night within half an hour of looking into the sky you will have seen at least one meteor (probably many more), and several slow moving satellites (they look like stars due to them reflecting the suns rays that they still catch even though 'we' are in 'shadow').

If you have a camera and a tripod you can (with a bit of luck) capture these events on a slow exposure.

Hopefully your neighbours will understand your activity is scientific, and not call the police...

[stoo_pid]

Seen a few (mostly in the Southern Hemisphere). By far, the most memorable one was on a beach in Fiji, the final night of my round-the-world trip, sitting with a gorgeous girl in my arms, a few moments after enjoying a passionate snog! If that had been written in a work of fiction it would have been slated by the critics, but for us it was very romantic!

[delboy3]

I saw - and heard - a large one fizzle over my rooftop a few years ago in Manchester. And no, it definitely wasn't a firework. The best display I saw was in the east of France on a clear summer's night in 1980; the sky was alive with them!

[Why??]

We saw loads when we went to Cyprus a couple of years ago. We used to put the kids to bed and sit on the balcony with a bottle (or 2!) of wine looking into the night sky together ahhhhh. We never realised that so many could be seen.

[mibn2cweus]

delboy3, I ran after a fizzling cracker once. It was still daylight! (although the sun had set). I was surprised to hear the next day that a meteorite had landed very far away. All the same I�ve been looking up ever since!

A note about satellite observing: Best time is just after dark (or before dawn) when the sun is still shining above the atmosphere. If they catch the sun just right you'll swear you've witnessed a supernova!

Warning: Star gazing can be hazardous. Don�t fall off the porch anyone. No, this hasn�t happened to me . . . yet.

[Goodsoulette]

I saw a meteor shower by chance about 8 yrs ago in december and it was amazing.

[mike.wood]

I live in Paignton, Devon, UK and I see 'shooting stars' every August or September usually in a southern direction

[Geo1000]

In this country with its grubby atmosphere and street-light pollution the Perseids are probably the most rewarding (plus they occur in Summer so it is warmer outside). You will have to wait until August 12/13. The best I saw was some years ago when there was at least one bright meteor every minute. After a few hours watching I turned to go indoors and the ground around me actually lit up - I turned quickly to see the remains of an exploding meteor trailing across the sky. If only I had watched for another minute!!

[lampgb]

During an astronomy lecture held by one of the crew of P&O's Oceana on a cruise in the Med in 2005, all those present witnessed a shooting star almost to the very moment that they was being discussed. It seemed so close most of us were taken by suprise and instictively ducked as it passed overhead. Fabulous experience