Tears of St. Lawrence
At three or four just before dawn I arise
as if beckoned outdoors and drawn;
Inhale the lucid and chilly air
And love the silence and darkness there.
Then with a sigh to the heavens glance,
There to espy radiance; gleaming red, a sparkling jewel.
This is the pride of all that dark and boundless sky
for a mortal lovesick fool…
O nocturnal lights bearing ages long past,
Witness to my peoples love and wrath,
What secrets you must bear in silent withhold,
the treasures and lack of our racial fold.
I know you have smiled and I know you have frowned,
Infinite glances, gigantically down
by the side of our triumphs and failures and gain;
to retreat and with faith come back yet again.
— Frank Roman
In Greek mythology Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. He slew the Medusa and later founded Mycenae. In early Europe, the Perseids meteor shower came to be known as the “tears of St. Lawrence.”
The Perseids are so called because the point they appear to come from, called the radiant, lies in the constellation Perseus. However, they can be seen all across the sky. Because of the path of Swift-Tuttle’s orbit, Perseids are mostly visible on the northern hemisphere.
The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the greatest activity between August 8 and 14, peaking about August 12. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches a hundred or more per hour.
Meteor showers occur when Earth moves through a meteor stream. The stream in this case is called the Perseid cloud and it stretches along the orbit of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud consists of particles ejected by the comet as it passed by the Sun. Most of the dust in the cloud today is approximately a thousand years old.
However, there is also a relatively young filament of dust in the stream that boiled off the comet in 1862. The approximate rate of meteors originating from this filament is much higher than normal.
The famous Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2000 years, with the first known information on these meteors coming from the Far East.
How can I best view a meteor shower?
If you live near a brightly lit city, drive away from the glow of city lights and toward the constellation from which the meteors will appear to radiate.
For example, drive north to view the Leonids. Driving south may lead you to darker skies, but the glow will dominate the northern horizon, where Leo rises. Perseid meteors will appear to “rain” into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 11 p.m. in mid-August.
After you’ve escaped the city glow, find a dark, secluded spot where oncoming car headlights will not periodically ruin your sensitive night vision. Look for state or city parks or other safe, dark sites.
Once you have settled at your observing spot, lay back or position yourself so the horizon appears at the edge of your peripheral vision, with the stars and sky filling your field of view. Meteors will instantly grab your attention as they streak by.
How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?
If you can see each star of the Little Dipper, your eyes have “dark adapted,” and your chosen site is probably dark enough. Under these conditions, you will see plenty of meteors.
What should I pack for meteor watching?
Treat meteor watching like you would the 4th of July fireworks. Pack comfortable chairs, bug spray, food and drinks, blankets, plus a red-filtered flashlight for reading maps and charts without ruining your night vision. Binoculars are not necessary. Your eyes will do just fine.