NATIONAL METEOR WATCH DAY
National Meteor Watch Day is observed every year on June 30th. Also known as National Meteor Day, on a cloudless night, people turn their eyes to the heavens in hopes of spotting the glow of a falling star.
Daily there are millions of meteors that occur in the Earth’s atmosphere.
When space debris, such as pieces of rock, enter the earth’s atmosphere the friction causes the surrounding air to become scorching hot. This “shooting star” streaking through the sky surrounded by flaming hot air is a meteor.
The majority of the meteoroids that cause meteors are only the size of a pebble.
Meteors sometime occur in showers. National Meteor Watch Day is an excellent time to plan for a meteor watching party. Whether it is to catch a few stray falling stars or to watch an entire meteor shower, gathering the kids or a few friends to map the constellations while waiting to make a wish or two is sure to be a fun time.
In the Northern Hemisphere, one of the most active meteor showers is the Perseids. Named after the constellation Perseus where the majority of the activity takes place, the meteors are caused by particles released by the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Active from mid-July to late August, the Perseids are known to put on a dazzling display at its peak, especially when the skies are clear and the moon is new.
Meteors are usually observed at night and are visible when they are about 34 to 70 miles above the Earth, and they often disintegrated at about 31 to 51 miles above. Their glow time is usually about a second.
A small percent of meteoroids hit the Earth’s atmosphere and then skip back into space.
The chemical composition and the speed of the meteoroid will cause different hues to the light. Possible colors and elements producing them include:
- Orange/yellow (sodium)
- Yellow (iron)
- Blue/green (copper)
- Purple (potassium)
- Red (silicate)
A list of meteor shower dates as well as a guide to successful watching can be found on the EarthSky website.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Join your fellow geocachers at the posted coordinates between 11:45pm - 12:15am (23:45-00:15 Hrs). This event will occur regardless of the weather, though we are hoping for clear skies!
Who knows? Maybe badlands and Leader1 will bring doughnuts to this event!