We're planning to go out camping tonight, just so that we can be out in the desert
where it's really dark when we wake up at 3AM to see the meteor shower (and thanks
to Mechaieh for being
the first one to let me know about it). I have some doubts, as I have never yet
seen a meteor shower, however widely vaunted, that produced more than one every
few minutes. Also, the Leonids are supposed to peak about every 33 years, and that
would have been 1998 or 1999. Then again, that may just be an approximation; it's
the latest predictions that are estimating thousands per hour. And the guesses as
to when the shower will peak are just guesses, so maybe I'll wake up well before
3, just in case. And sleep outside the tent, with contact lenses in (I almost
always do that when camping, anyhow). Three or four others are going with us, so
this should be fun, no matter how the comets pan out.
In sympathy with my plans, I started reading An Intimate View of the Night
Sky. However, I may not make it through the book, as it's ticked me off right
in the beginning by showing Orion without his sword (though, oddly, he's shown
correctly on the cover). Clearly the illustrations are omitting faint stars, to
make spotting constellations easier and to approximate the view from a city, but I
live in a majorly metro area and have no problem spotting the sword. Of course, I
get an especially nice view of the Hunter when I'm out rowing, but there are
bright lights ringing the lake, so there's still plenty of glare
pollution.
In honor of Orion, here's something from William Carlos Williams, who did
apparently write about more than peaches:
PEACE ON EARTH
The Archer is wake!
The Swan is flying!
Gold against blue
An Arrow is lying.
There is hunting in heaven--
Sleep safe till to-morrow.
The Bears are abroad!
The Eagle is screaming!
Gold against blue
Their eyes are gleaming!
Sleep!
Sleep safe till to-morrow.
The Sisters lie
With their arms intertwining;
Gold against blue
Their hair is shining!
The Serpent writhes!
Orion is listening!
Gold against blue
His sword is glistening!
Sleep!
There is hunting in heaven--
Sleep safe till to-morrow.
I may have included that poem here before. If I did, I probably also mentioned
that I really like Gordon Bok's musical setting of it.
There are a few astronomical poems collected
href="http://www.baltastro.org/AstroPoetry.html">here, though I think he's
stretching a point by including Sam McGee. But I like Service too.