The annual Perseid meteor shower has already started; tomorrow and Wednesday are the "peak" nights, with space forecasters promising as many as 200 meteors per hour during the height of the shower.

It actually started several days ago; each night that's gone by has seen an increase in the number of meteors seen blazing across the star-filled sky.  A full moon has made it difficult to see all but the brightest of the meteors (bolides), with an occasional fireball thrown in; now that the moon is becoming less fat, it should be a lot easier to see more meteors.

I have always enjoyed watching meteors:  doesn't matter what time of year, or what shower I see.  The Perseids.  The Geminids.  The Leonids.  There are others; however, these three remain the best by far.  It could be cold, cold outside, with frost on the ground, or hot, humid summertime out:  I don't care.  As long as I see meteors streaking across the sky, I'm happy.

I'm a meteor nut.  I have always been.  I find them fascinating, as Mr. Spock would say.  :)  I often wonder where they go, where they come from, what they're made of, or if, by any chance, one will turn into a meteorite and slam into the earth.  I think that would be cool seeing a meteorite slamming into the ground in a big explosion!  :)

I also love stargazing, looking for the different planets, seeing the different phases of the moon, watching the northern lights dance, and looking at comets.  Meteors, though, remain my very favorite space feature. 

I think they're neat, especially when you get a nice, fat, green fireball whizzing overhead, which usually always takes me by surprise.  You don't expect them.

My dad says I'd be a good scientist, as things like planets, stars, the moon, the aurora, meteors, etc. drive me to learn more about them.  I'm always on the computer, checking out the latest co-ordinates on meteors, where they will occur and when, and which years are the best for prime meteor shower viewing, so I don't miss out on a thing.

I also love to check on which planets will be vying for space lovers' eyes, or when there will be a good auroral storm in our northern skies.  A good source for information in that vein would be www.spaceweather.com or www.noaa.gov.

There are others; these are two I rely the most on; they seem to have the most accurate information.

Well, I am going to get ready to see the meteors in a few hours; I will write in here again with a full report.  Stay tuned; this is Keith Citriones, the Meteor Maniac, signing off!  So long!

~Keith.  :)