Shooting stars and wishes
So, although I was feeling tired and lazy by 11.30pm I put my winter coat on, and my wristwarmers, because it's that cold here tonight even though it's August, and went out to try to see the Perseid meteor shower, also called 'The Tears of St Lawrence' (whoever he was). The Swift-Tuttle comet has a 130 year orbit of the sun but we pass through its tail of debris every year around this time.
I wanted it to look like this, but it didn't! Much as I wished it would ..
Anyway, I walked down to the park and through to the playing field, the nearest dark space I could find with little light pollution, lay down, all alone, and stared at the darkest patch of sky, which luckily was mainly clear.
10 minutes later of staring heavenwards and not seeing even one, I began to feel cheated, and was willing at least one to appear. But then suddenly a brilliant stream of light came down about as close as it could be to me in sky terms relatively speaking. Awesome! So I made a very fervent and heart-felt wish as I wasn't sure if I'd get to see any more. I stayed out for about another 20 minutes and saw another 7, the last 2 were together, so I made another 7 wishes! Then I heard the church bells tolling midnight and I started to walk back as I was getting cold, and there were 3 hoodie boys with their bikes nearby, but as I passed them they weren't looking at the sky, just arguing about shagging some girl. Heh. I wanted to say 'hey boys look up!' .. but I decided that might not be a good idea. So I walked back down my street, backwards lol, so I could see the same patch of sky the meteors all appeared in, and I saw one more just as I got to my front door. So I felt it was worth the effort. I took my camera in case there might be a proper shower, but didn't get to use it.
It was a special moment. Just being out there alone enjoying some fiery space remnants, and thinking about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything .. and I got to make 9 wishes. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow/tonight if the sky is clear again.
Luckily I am not paraskavedekatriaphobic .. but if you know me from old, you will know that I love that word!
Now .. to bed.
I wanted it to look like this, but it didn't! Much as I wished it would ..
Anyway, I walked down to the park and through to the playing field, the nearest dark space I could find with little light pollution, lay down, all alone, and stared at the darkest patch of sky, which luckily was mainly clear.
10 minutes later of staring heavenwards and not seeing even one, I began to feel cheated, and was willing at least one to appear. But then suddenly a brilliant stream of light came down about as close as it could be to me in sky terms relatively speaking. Awesome! So I made a very fervent and heart-felt wish as I wasn't sure if I'd get to see any more. I stayed out for about another 20 minutes and saw another 7, the last 2 were together, so I made another 7 wishes! Then I heard the church bells tolling midnight and I started to walk back as I was getting cold, and there were 3 hoodie boys with their bikes nearby, but as I passed them they weren't looking at the sky, just arguing about shagging some girl. Heh. I wanted to say 'hey boys look up!' .. but I decided that might not be a good idea. So I walked back down my street, backwards lol, so I could see the same patch of sky the meteors all appeared in, and I saw one more just as I got to my front door. So I felt it was worth the effort. I took my camera in case there might be a proper shower, but didn't get to use it.
It was a special moment. Just being out there alone enjoying some fiery space remnants, and thinking about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything .. and I got to make 9 wishes. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow/tonight if the sky is clear again.
Luckily I am not paraskavedekatriaphobic .. but if you know me from old, you will know that I love that word!
Now .. to bed.