Looking Up

Enough of the jasmine has bloomed to scent the night. It will intensify over the next few days, and will probably still be strong when the May Camelopardalid meteor shower arrives on the night of May 23 and morning of May 24. It's a new meteor shower, this being the first time Earth has passed through the debris trail laid down by a small comet in the 19th century, so it's a bit of a crap shoot. It might turn out to be a dud and it might turn out to be spectacular, or anything in between. The only problem I might have is that the meteors will radiate from the constellation Camelopardalis (the giraffe) which is in the north and fairly low in the sky, and that's the direction in which we have to most trees here. There might also be a problem with the next door neighbor to the south, who often leaves a glaring porch light on all night, but aside from that if it turns out to be a good show should be able to see at least a few meteors.

The computer has been slower than ever today, but that problem might be about to get fixed. We shall soon see. In a few days I might be on a blazing fast computer, with Windows 7. I hope it doesn't make me dizzy.

It's nice and cool outside again tonight, and I'm going to go out and smell the jasmine and listen to the frogs and crickets and look at the big moon while the house cools off a bit more.