Get Out! And Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower

Image by Nasa 

by Peggy Robin

I'm posting this edition of the Get Out! column a bit early - in time to say that tonight will be the peak night of the Perseid meteor shower.  You could still go out on a drive to the country - just keep going away from the city until you find an open field, away from all artificial lights. The rain has stopped and if the clouds have moved on, you can lay down a waterproof tarp and lie on your back and spend the rest of the night watching nature's fireworks -- a meteor shower that is supposed to be the best of the year:

Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks After Midnight. NASA Says It's 'One Of The Best'

The Perseid Meteor Shower occurs around this time every August -- so if you miss it tonight, there's always next year. Or you can just watch someone else's footage of it:

https://scitechdaily.com/perseids-peak-tonight-nasa-viewing-tips-to-watch-best-meteor-shower-of-the-year/  

I'm glad to be able to report on something beautiful happening in the year 2020. The rest of this year has not been at all kind to us here on Planet Earth. Of course, we earthlings have not been so kind to our mother planet, have we? It may seem that the planet has taken her revenge on us, showering us with this vicious virus --  the smallest particle of life. Semi-life, actually -- as viruses are not really alive until they're inside a host. 

The infinitesimalsmallness of the coronavirus.....and the infinite vastness of the cosmos. That calls for some appropriate music to go along with our mind-warping thoughts of time and space -- and here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfXhmdjOqGI

And while we're on the subject of Star Trek, here's another Stay In! recommendation: it's for the latest iteration of the Star Trek franchise, the new, animated series dealing with the lowest level crew members, the ones who maintain the food replicators and the waste removal systems, and do all the other un-glamorous jobs -- it's called Star Trek: The Lower Decks. You can see the trailer here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3RkBKedKWw

It's coming to the AllAcessCBS, a subscription TV channel.

The Perseid Meteor Shower is free.

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The Get Out! Events column is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Thursdays (and just for today, on Wednesday).