I saw a UFO last night, maybe a pair of them.
Vancouver Island has two seasons; wet (9 to 10-months) and, dry (2-3 months). The Pacific night sky holds a lot of fascination for me because it's a virtual stranger for so much of the year.
Before turning in, I like to sit outside in my backyard for a stretch and gaze upward into the night sky observing constellations, spotting satellites and the occasional meteor. A couple of helpful apps make deciphering the stars even easier.
Most satellites seem to travel on a south to north axis. Just before packing it in last night I spotted an unusually bright object that appeared to be on a west to east course. As it neared I saw a second object, much smaller, some distance in trail on the same course, same speed.
At first I thought the two lights meant an aircraft but in the night time silence there was no engine noise of any sort. Also missing were any navigation lights.
I think what I saw was the international space station, that was supposed to be passing overhead at roughly that time, with a Japanese cargo capsule trailing behind in formation waiting to dock sometime tomorrow.
There's a tranquility that comes from gazing into the night sky. All those constellations, galaxies and stars afford a unique perspective into ourselves, our planet, our actual significance. It's also interesting to realize that you're looking at something that's virtually identical to what your ancestors pondered all those centuries and millennia past. We know vastly more about what we're looking at and we've added our own machines to the nightscape but overall it's the same.
This is Perseid weekend, the biggest meteor show of the year, and this year it promises to be very good for those willing to get up and go outside an hour or two before dawn. At its peak on Sunday night/Monday morning, if you're in a suitably dark place you could see 100-meteors an hour, some of them quite spectacular. Next year's peak will be marred by a full moon but 2015 should be really good if you miss this year's shower.
3 comments:
Very nicely expressed, Mound. The night sky has always been a fascination with me, especially those rare times when I am away from the city's ambient light. It is at those times we can ponder the vastness of the universe, our relative insignificant in the scheme of things, and just the wonder of everything.
Last year, around this time, I was sitting on my deck, listening to the night. My sons happened home at the same time and joined me. We talked a little, and then noticed in the sky this great shower. We settled into our chairs for hours, with lots of 'ooohs' and 'aaahs', and, finally, settled into a contest of who could see the most. It was a beautiful night.
I hope the skies are clear this weekend.
Nice read, not enough people ponder the universe. Looking at the night sky can spin a thousand thoughts and put life into perspective.
Thanks
Richard
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