Proof you can shower once a year and still get people excited: The Perseid Meteor Shower hits Saturday!

Published by Caroline on August 6, 2012 at 11:46 am in Astronomy

Showering once a year? It works for the Perseid cloud!

Each year in mid-August, a stream of debris ejected by the Swift-Tuttle comet, called the Perseid cloud, becomes visible to stargazers — as a meteor shower.

These “shooting stars” are actually streaks of light that occur when tiny dust particles in the comet’s debris trail collide with and are vaporized by the Earth’s atmosphere.

A composite photo of the 2010 Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid Meteor Shower has been observed for approximately 2,000 years and was first recorded by stargazers in the Far East.

It’s best to get out of the city and away from light pollution to view the shower, so the George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park is hosting a viewing party this Saturday, August 11. Meteors may become visible around 10 p.m., but will grow more frequent as dawn approaches.

Says HMNS Astronomer James Wooten: “You will see more meteors in pre-dawn hours than right after dusk. This is because the Earth is running into the stream of meteors rather than the other way around. As a result, the leading edge of the Earth — the side going from night to day — encounters the meteors. Meteors will seem to radiate from a constellation called Perseus (hence the name “Perseids”). In August, Perseus rises in the northeast at dusk and is high in the north at dawn. Thus, meteors will seem to radiate from the northeast.”

The George will stay open until 2 a.m. August 12 to accommodate people who want to view the full spectacle of this stunning celestial shower.

Normal park entrance fees ($7 per person; free for children 12 and younger) apply. Tickets for the Gueymard Telescope are $5 and go on sale at 5 p.m. Tickets to view the night sky through our 11-inch refractor and other large domes will be available for $5 from 9 p.m. until midnight.

As always, personal telescopes are welcome! The shower is also visible to the naked eye. Lawn chairs, bug spray, snacks and blankets are encouraged.

On the Tenth Day of HMNS…Explore the Cosmos at The George Observatory

Published by Erin B on December 21, 2008 at 11:17 am in Science

The first time I went to the George Observatory, I saw Saturn. With my own eyes. Not a picture, not an artist’s rendering – the actual planet. It was…well, let’s just say I left full of a sense of wonder at the universe we live in – and the centuries of scientific achievements that have made that experience possible.

The Gueymard Telescope at the George Observatory is one of the largest in the country that is available for public use – and once you start looking through it, you won’t want to tear your eyes away. Saturday nights throughout the year, local astronomers and museum staff gather at the Observatory, and you can view through the Museum’s telescopes or the dozens that people bring with them. Some people get pretty high tech with it (check out this digiscoped picture) and it’s always a lot of fun.

In the video below, Barbara Wilson, the George Observatory astronomer, discusses what you can see at the Observatory – and talks about the most commonly asked questions, like “Have you ever seen a UFO?” Check out Barbara’s answer in the video below and visit the Observatory this holiday season to get all your cosmic questions answered.

The George Observatory is just one of the fun and fascinating options for families at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. In a take-off of everyone’s favorite holiday classic, The 12 Days of Christmas, we’ve got 12 ideas for fabulous family fun this holiday and we’ll be sharing the possibilities here every day until Christmas Eve. Best of all, most are activities that last past the holiday season – some, year round. You can also check them all out now at the spiffy new 12 Days of HMNS web site.

Check out the first nine days of HMNS:
On the first day of HMNS, explore The Birth of Christianity.
On the second day of HMNS, shop for Sci-tastic gifts.
On the third day of HMNS, meet Prancer the reindeer.
On the fourth day of HMNS, discover the making of The Star of Bethlehem.
On the fifth day, move it, move it with Madagascar 2 in the Wortham IMAX Theatre.
On the sixth day, hunt dinosaurs with Dr. Bob Bakker.
On the seventh day, look inside the human body in BODY WORLDS 2.
On the eighth day, meet the HMNS Entomologists.
On the ninth day, peer into the Gem Vault.

Science Doesn’t Sleep (8.28.08)

Published by Erin B on August 28, 2008 at 8:34 am in Science

photo credit: audreyjm529

So here’s what went down after you logged off.

Paleontologists have found the fossil of a 75-million year old pregnant turtle – something that has never before been found.

We’re lucky to have the Gueymard telescope – one of the largest in the country for public viewing – right in our backyard. But looking into the heavens wasn’t always so easy. Check out this list of 20 things you didn’t know about telescopes.

Are we giving robots too much power? The Onion weighs in.

Now we play the guessing game: what will happen with Hurricane Gustav?

Photos: a new statue of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius has just been uncovered in Turkey.