Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408110068
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By CATHRYN McCUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It's time once again for the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, brought to you by the solar system, cosmic clouds and Mother Nature.
Astronomers predict that in the predawn hours Friday, and perhaps again that night, hundreds of meteors per hour will whiz by our home planet.
That would constitute a meteor shower. But if there are thousands of ``falling stars,'' we'll have a full-blown meteor storm on our hands.
``This may be the year,'' said Britt Rossi, director of the Hopkins Planetarium in Roanoke, with some degree of optimism in his voice.
``It may happen next year,'' he then cautioned.
``It may never happen,'' Rossi finally conceded.
It certainly didn't happen last year, despite the out-of-this-world hype and hope.
In 1992, the Swift-Tuttle comet returned to Earth's inner solar system, leaving a dense cloud of dust and ice in its wake. That debris appears as bright, flashing streaks in the night sky when Earth makes its yearly pass through the comet's cloud.
Skywatchers eagerly watched last year for the celestial display but were disappointed. Some areas of North America saw up to 700 meteors per hour - a decent shower, but no storm. There's no guarantee the storm will come in 1994, Rossi said.
The planetarium is sponsoring a meteor-watch program Friday evening and will bus people up Sharp Top Mountain in Bedford County, elevation 3,782 feet.
``It's like the top of the world up there,'' Rossi said. Even if the storm doesn't materialize, people will be able to see Jupiter and Saturn through the planetarium's telescopes and view the night sky through ITT's night-vision goggles.
The Blue Ridge Parkway also offers choice viewing spots, although it got pretty crowded last year.
"The parkway was littered with headlights," Rossi said, which defeats the purpose of driving up there.
The point is to get far away from city lights and find a spot with a big chunk of sky. Rural back yards are good, Rossi said. Get a lounge chair, sleeping bag, cup of coffee, star map, warm clothes, and you're set.
"The object is to keep your eyes constantly peeled to the sky. Look down for a second, and you'll miss it," Rossi said.
He'll be out between 3 and 6 a.m. Friday, which some experts say will be this year's peak and perhaps the best chance for a meteor storm. The second peak will be Friday evening.
The National Weather Service is predicting typical August conditions for the next several days. In other words, partly cloudy, chance of scattered thunderstorms in the evening, with fog in the late evening and early morning.
The planetarium's program begins at 7 p.m. Friday. It's on a first-come, first-served basis, and costs $2.50 for the shuttle bus. Call (703)342-5710 for more information.
by CNB