The brightest and fastest amongst meteor showers is the famous Perseids Meteor Shower. So popular it is, Google put the picture of the shower on the title page along with its name. The Perseids stream never disappoints. Many enthusiasts have gathered in open spaces and or on the roof of their houses to see the magnificent cosmic firework on August 12, when Perseids reached its peak performance. This blog post details for you Perseids in terms of astronomy, cosmics and how it affects your family life.
Meteors
You have heard about meteor showers or shooting stars or falling stars, or simply meteors. There are millions of these shooting stars seen throughout the year. When you look at the night sky generally after mid-night you will observe streaks of light flicking away in the sky for a second or two. What you see is not a physical matter, because most of these meteors are so small to be seen from the earth, but the atmospheric reaction when these fast moving meteors hit at the earth’s atmosphere resulting in a friction between the air molecules and the surface of the meteor. So you see the burning of the gaseous particles in glowing colour.
Meteors originate in the following manner. Usually comets pass through the Sun in their orbit and when they get closer to the Sun, they shed parts of their matter. These are known as Meteoroids which travel alone or in a group in the vast expanse of the space. When some of these meteoroids enter into the earth’s orbit we call them Meteors to distinguish from the Meteoroids. Most of these meteors burn out as shooting stars as described above.
Perseids
Most of the showers are named after the constellations they originate from; we call this as “radiant”. Perseids takes its names from Perseus constellation, to which we can trace back its origin or radiant at the point where delta Persei a brilliant star is located. Perseids Meteor Showers which we call “Perseids” for easy reference commences on July 23 and ends by August 22 every year. The stream strikes at about 90 miles per hour. On average 50 to 80 meteors could be seen within an hour, which is technically called as Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR). This level peaks to about 120 ZHR during 11, 12 & 13 August. Moreover, the level rises to about 200 to 500 when the Earth comes into the path of the comet 109P / Swift Tuttle when it flies past the Sun. The comet’s debris is the one that is transformed into the fascinating shooting stars, hence we call this comet the parent of the stream. During the years 1993 and 1994 high rates of ZHR were recorded as the 109P / Swift Tuttle comet was passing through the orbit of the earth. In fact, the comet discovered by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle in 1862, after whose names it is named was last seen on earth on March 29, 1995 in Australia. The Perseids stream is seen in different cosmic colours. These are keenly watched because the stream coincides with summer time in the Northern Hemisphere. The radiant Perseus constellation lies beyond the ecliptical path of the Sun in the North. Nevertheless its proximity with Aries and Taurus constellations bestows to it high cosmic significance.
Cosmics of Perseids
Perseus is all about bravery, love, wisdom, perseverance and advancement of worldly or spiritual learning. You have learnt about the hero Perseus. He set himself to free Andromeda, the virgin who was chained to the rock to be devoured by Cetus, the whale. Before Cetus can complete his task, Perseus arrives with the Head of Gordon Medusa in hand. He showed the head to Cetus. On seeing Gordon Medusa, Cetus is turned into stone. Perseus then marries Andromeda, so goes the Legend.
Against this mythological background I observed the sky chart from Tehran, Iran at 6.00 p.m., on August 12. I noticed significant phenomena which seriously affect the influence Perseids has upon the people on the earth. One relates to the position of the Moon which is on its last quarter. Although the Moon is 21.5 days old it is still brighter to overshadow the brightness of the shooting stars. Moreover, the Moon is in the first Lunar Mansion (Manzil-Al-Qamar, in Arabic) of Al-Sheratain (means: Two signs). This Manzil is defined as very auspicious moment for beginning any matter or work; besides the Moon itself is in the Aries constellation, which is the first zodiacal sign. The other relates to the position of Sun, which is in the Leo Constellation. On its direct path lies Regulus the Royal Star, Mercury and Saturn all in the Leo Constellation. Now let me give you the result.
How Perseids Meteor Shower 2009 affects you?
1. Babies born in your family during the peak period 11 to 13 August 2009 would be brilliant and maverick at one and the same time. You should take care to neutralize the quality of any eccentric behaviour in them. Let me give you some of the noted persons who had similar birthdays whose brilliance, extra ordinary perseverance and non-conformist behaviour are well documented:
August 11
Steve Wozinak – Co-founder of Apple computer
Alex Haley – Author of the Book “ Roots: The Saga of an American Family”
August 12
Cleopatra VII – Egyptian Queen who ended her life by allowing herself to be stung by a cobra
Cecil B DeMille – Legendary Film Producer
George Soros – Investor
August 13
Sir Alfred Hitchcock – Legendary Film Producer
Fidel Castro – Cuban Leader
2. Those of you who are born in the period 11to 13 August would go through severe mental stress arising from delays, failures and losses in family and business life
3. Those of who are born in the First Moon Mansion of Al-Sheratain are set to reach your best performance in career, business and social life but miserably fail in family and married life
4. Those of you who are born under stars in Perseus Constellation such as Mirfak (alternatively known as Algeneb), a brilliant white and lilac star or Miram, a greenish white giant will have tremendous boost.
5. If your birth or lucky stars are Menkib, Athik and Misam in the Perseus constellation you would achieve above-average results.
6. If you are born under the Star Algol in the Perseus Constellation, you would tend to achieve less than average results. However, if you are feminine you will go have excellent time in family and business life.
Muthu Ashraff
Cosmic Adviser
Mobile: +94 777 265677