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(meteorobs) Re: LYRIDS 2003

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I agree with Lew than it's just not the sheer number of meteors seen that makes the experience. Even from one's backyard there are items to delight the senses that are totally drowned out during the daylight. For me it's hearing the mockingbird and smelling the sweet scent of honeysuckle. If one realized just how empty outer space really is, then we could savor each and every particle we see flash overhead. After all these years I still find it fascinating that some of these meteors were actually once part of a comet or asteroid. It's even more special when you can actually tell which comet or asteroid they came from. In the case of the Lyrids, you are seeing bits and pieces of Comet Thatcher, which last passed through the inner solar system in 1861. It will not grace our skies again until 2276, but you can still see remnants of it this week when you view the Lyrids. Whether the Lyrids produce 5, 15 or 25 meteors per hour should not determine whether your session was a success. If you made the effort to watch then you indeed have undertaken a successful session and have contributed to our scientific knowledge. Don't keep that knowledge to yourself, be sure to share your experience with the rest of us, especially those who wished to observe but could not due to weather or other commitments.
 
Clear Skies!
 
Bob Lunsford
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Lewis J. Gramer
To: meteorobs@meteorobs.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 9:59 AM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) LYRIDS 2003

I think that for people who are mostly just interested in "seeing a show" -
say with their kids, or a loved one - then almost any major meteor shower
COULD be a let-down (with the exception of the once-in-a-lifetime storm).
 
After all, how can the quiet night sky compete with the latest Hollywood
blockbuster, major league sporting event, or a video game, right?
 
 
Of course, by the same token - with the right attitude, a bit of preparation,
and the proper appreciation - almost any night spent under the stars can
be the stuff of wondrous memories... And if you add onto that a fairly fast
meteor every 2 or 3 minutes - not to mention the sounds, fragrances, and
feel of warmer Spring nights - suddenly the Lyrids are not to be missed!
 
And of course, like any shower, major or minor, the Lyrids are very much
worth recording by us amateurs for scientific purposes, as well!
 
 
As with most things in life, it depends on the observer's state of mind.  ;-)
 
Clear skies,
Lew Gramer
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