Meteor showers are so much fun to watch. You don't need anything special, just something comfortable to sit on while you look up. Most veteran viewers recommend you recline at about a 30 degree angle to avoid a stiff neck. Meteor viewing doesn't require special equipment, your eyes will do nicely. In astronomy terms this is called naked eye viewing. (Mind out of the gutter!) There are a few facts you need to know to ensure the very best viewing possible. Knowing the radiant, or the section of the sky the shower will originate from is important. You don't want to be looking west when all the action is coming from the north! The higher in the sky the radiant is the more meteors can be seen. This time usually occurs between midnight and dawn with the peak hours between 2 and 4 am. That's the time you'll be 'facing into' the shower. Don't forget it will take your eyes a while to adjust to seeing in the dark. It's important to retain your night vision by avoiding bright lights. Depending on your age and the temperature outside regaining night vision can take a few minutes to an hour or so. The longer you're out there in the dark them more you'll see. Hint: to make a night vision flashlight take red nail polish (any shade will do, but be sure it's a true red) and paint the glass lens. Works great and is very inexpensive! Next week I'll go into how those pretty light shows are created. Until then, don't forget to go outside at night and look UP! Use coupon code ElizabethNoble to receive 30% off any title of mine on either Dreamspinner or DSP Publications. Coupon expires 1/31 at 11:59pm ET
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