ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2001
Isle residents can get the best view of the Perseid meteor shower tonight and tomorrow night at Hanauma Bay. The meteor shower above was seen from the summit of the Big Mountain near Whitefish, Mont., in August 2001.
Hanauma Bay open Isle residents have a chance to see this year's Perseid meteor show from a prime viewing spot -- Hanauma Bay.
for shooting-star show
The Bishop Museum invites
the public to enjoy the meteors
from a prime locationBy Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.comThe Bishop Museum Planetarium invites the public to a free program in the upper parking lot on the shower's peak nights, from midnight to 2 a.m. tonight and tomorrow.
The Perseid shower, always in August, is the most consistent and reliable meteor display, while the Leonid shower in November varies wildly, said Planetarium Manager Mike Shanahan.
About 60 to 70 shooting stars per hour typically occur on peak nights of the Perseids, named for the part of the sky where they appear, the Perseus constellation.
This year's show should be excellent if the weather cooperates because the moon won't interfere, Shanahan said.
The moon got in the way of Perseid watching last year, but it sets before 9:30 p.m. tonight and about 10:20 p.m. tomorrow, well before the meteors arrive, Shanahan said.
Those planning to observe from Hanauma Bay must be there between 11:30 p.m. and 11:55 p.m. on either night, he said.
The gates will be closed at midnight and won't be reopened until 2 a.m.
Spectators are advised to take warm clothing, a red flashlight or one covered with red cellophane (white lights can ruin the night vision) and a lawn chair.
Telescopes can be taken, but they are not necessary to see the shooting stars, Shanahan said.
No alcohol or smoking will be allowed, and there will be no beach access, he emphasized. Restrooms are available in the viewing area.
"It's a real privilege to be able to use this (site) for the event and we would like to make sure it goes smooth," Shanahan said.
Arrangements to use Hanauma Bay were made by Sam Rhodes, who gives star talks there. He wrote "The Sky Tonight," the most thorough guide to the Hawaiian night sky, Shanahan said.
Rhodes gives a star talk the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at the planetarium, presenting an overview of the sky in the coming month.
"Currently, it's the only regular evening program we have open to the general public," Shanahan said, adding that it always sells out. He advises calling 848-4168 for reservations. The costs are $4 for adults, $3 for children and $3 for museum members.
Both Rhodes and Shanahan will be at Hanauma looking at the Perseids. "We'll be doing constellation identification as well," Shanahan said.
The shower will be concentrated in the northeast where the constellation Perseus rises about midnight, he said.
The parent of the Perseid shower is the Swift-Tuttle comet, which passed through the inner solar system in 1992.
The comet's debris creates shooting star showers as it hits the Earth's atmosphere and burns up. The Earth encounters the comet dust at the same times every year as it travels around the sun.
Bishop Museum
