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| Heads turned towards the sky, waiting for dark. |
Despite the cool weather and smokey skies, we had a great turnout for the Perseids Meteor Watching in Moberly Park. We gathered with blankets and chairs as the sky was just staring to darken, and waited -- somewhat patiently -- for night to come (and for our pizza to be delivered right to the park!). Several people remarked that while they often watch the sky from their porches, this was the first time they have done so in the park as a group.
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| More planes than stars to be seen |
Our expectations of seeing hundreds of meteors per hour were dampened by the smoke, but our cheers of joy at seeing the night's first visible star surely made up for whatever disappointment was imagined. There was something lovely and perfect about gathering together in public for a semi-impossible task, and there was a real collective joy at the curiosities we did see: a handful of stars, bats flying close overhead, planes making their way to YVR, and -- indeed and at last! -- four shooting stars flitting across the sky.
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| Teeny palm trees to help light the way. |
As we were getting ready to pack up and go home we felt the first of a few drops of rain and started hurriedly packing our things. Of course, once we stood up we realized it was just the sprinkler system giving the park it's nightly drink. It was a fitting end to the evening.
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| Blankets of all sorts - and the one dry patch in Moberly Park! |
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| All bundled up for summer |