Boaters off the New Jersey coast were treated to a mysterious phenomenon on the night of Sept. 1, 2007. A giant fireball shredded the night sky before exploding and sending debris into the ocean. Some witnesses speculated it was an airplane explosion, but no planes were reported missing. A newspaper headline the next day reported: "Fiery UFO Blows Up Off N.J." Exactly what witnesses from New Jersey to South Carolina saw that night remains a mystery. It's interesting, however, that the fireball coincided with the Aurigid meteor shower, which is known to produce unusual phenomena, including blue and green lights.

 

What Are Meteors?

On any given night, a half-dozen random meteors — or "shooting stars," as they're often called — appear hourly in Earth's expansive atmosphere. Meteors enter the atmosphere traveling at a rate of anywhere from 25,000 mph to 160,000 mph; by comparison, orbiting spacecraft travel at 20,000 mph. Most meteors range in size from a mere grain of sand to a pea-sized pebble and weigh 1 to 2 grams, and they occur at 50 to 75 miles above Earth's surface. And while several hundred tons of meteors burn up in the atmosphere every day, the vast majority goes unobserved.

Several times a year, however, Earth passes through a stream of debris left by a passing comet or asteroid. The result is a meteor shower, where the hourly rate of meteors streaking through the sky increases substantially. Some occur annually, like the Perseids meteor shower, which results from debris of comet Swift-Tuttle and has a diameter of 6 miles — making it the largest known object to make repeated passes near Earth. Occasionally, celestial fireballs that outshine even the brightest stars and planets accompany meteor showers. On rare occasions they explode, which is what astronomers call a "bolide." This is a likely explanation of what occurred off the coast of New Jersey last September.

When Do They Occur?

Meteor showers are fairly predictable (see sidebar: 2008 Major Meteor Showers). As recently as August of last year, however, a surprise meteor shower dubbed "Kappa Cygnids" popped up.

It was unexpected because astronomers still haven't identified the parent body scattering the debris, which just goes to show that you might see celestial phenomena any night of the year. Once astronomers have identified the orbit of the comet or asteroid that produces the shower, they can forecast when it'll appear next, since most celestial bodies move through precise orbits like clockwork. It is, in fact, the reliable movement of

our solar system that we use to set our clocks here on Earth.

How Do You Look For Them?

A boat provides a great platform for watching meteor showers during peak nights on which the frequency of meteors is at its greatest. However, this doesn't mean you won't see some pretty remarkable sights the nights before and after the peak period. Light is the ultimate foe of meteor observation. This is why we typically don't see them during the daytime. The darker the environment, the better. So, plan on taking your boat to some remote location that's far from city lights, preferably where you have a panoramic view free of trees and hills. Meteor showers typically come from one area of the sky, called the "radiant," so after positioning the boat just right, you might want to drop anchors fore and aft to keep the boat from swinging. Just be sure you're not in a boat-traffic area. Predawn is the optimum time to see the most meteors, so unless you're an insomniac, plan a nap earlier in the day.

Observation Tips

To see as many meteors as possible, keep your vision focused skyward.

And in order to avoid a sore neck, arrange the boat so you can recline. Tossing a pad or sleeping bags on the foredeck and/or cockpit sole works well in some boats. There's nothing more irksome than to have been waiting patiently for a long period of time, only to hear "oohs" and "aahs" the moment you look away. Meteors move quickly — the Leonids are among the fastest at around 160,000 mph — so be alert.

If it's cool outside, dress in layers and bring some blankets for warmth. In the summertime, pull out the insect repellant. You might also want to bring plenty of snacks, hot or cold beverages, and other treats. Meteors are best viewed with the naked eye, because viewing through binoculars is usually frustrating due to the limited range of view and the meteors' speed.

Watching meteor showers from your boat is a great opportunity for family bonding, and your children — regardless of age — will remember it for a lifetime. Arm yourself with some interesting factoids — although there are no records of anyone ever being killed by a meteorite, in 2003 a meteorite the size of a VW Bug exploded over Chicago, scattering hundreds of pieces on the ground and parking a 5-pound section in a resident's living room — and you'll find it to be not only entertaining, but also quite educational for children. So, using the calendar provided with this article, why not plan a meteor shower cruise for your family?