The end of summer is always heralded by the meteor showers called the Perseids (Aug 13th this year). Growing up, we’d troop out to the back yard around midnight with our sleeping bags and watch the show. There was something so intensely comforting about watching the universe fly by with my parents and sister safe and warm by my side. While in the mountains my mother, father and I did a little star gazing but with the help of an amazing Droid app — Google Sky Map. I’m probably the last person to know about it — but it is pretty spectacular. You hold your phone to the sky and using GPS coordinates your phone tells you what the constellations are.
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Wow, that looks amazing…and thanks for introducing me to that app. You are not the last one, clearly. xoxo
The boyfriend and I are obsessed with that app and love using it on our ipad. I wish I didn’t have the light pollution and beachy marine layer to contend with, otherwise I’d be able to see the show, too!
What an incredible illustration. Could you give us some information about your source, please? The Perseids are always a thrill for me too!
I’m sorry if this is too basic a question, but how do I get an avatar with my comment?
Thanks to any techno-genius who offers help!
haha Indeed, I’m the last person to know about this app. Such a nice summertime ritual. I’ll have to mark my calendar for next year.
Carol — the print from the nineteenth century!
Thanks, Abbey! That’s a stunning print. Like a heavenly shower. Some years ago there was a lot of press about it being an especially good year for the Perseids, as were going through a thick part of the tail.
It was a magical experience, as crowds of people brought their lawn chairs and blankets to gather on the hills of Mendon Ponds Park near Rochester, NY. Even though we couldn’t see the other folks because of the deep dark night, we all exhaled a simultaneous “aaaaah!” each time there was an especially wonderful spray of evanescent light.
When we got tired around 3a.m. and went to a local doughnut shop, we found a boisterous crowd re- living the magic we had all witnessed!
Your post revived delightful memories!