“Watch the Perseid meteor shower tonight and have a star-gazing tea party! - Examiner”

Watch the Perseid meteor shower tonight and have a star-gazing tea party! - Examiner

Posted: 19 Jun 2010 01:42 PM PDT

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The Perseid meteor shower is expected to occur between 11 p.m. on Tuesday and 5 a.m. on Thursday, with the greatest activity between midnight and 5 a.m. on Wednesday. Although it's already Wednesday, the show is not over yet! Why not pack some warm blankets, lawn chairs, and a thermos of hot tea tonight, and go up into the hills east of San Jose and Milpitas, to see the shooting stars?

A more robust brew, like a strong Assam or Irish Breakfast, with a good amount of caffeine to keep you awake long enough to see the meteors, would be a good idea. One of the most convenient places to buy some loose-leaf Assam or other black tea is good old Peet's Coffee and Tea; there is a store downtown San Jose on Santa Clara, near Market St. A midnight snack -- tea party style, of course -- is a natural accompaniment. Not sure what snacks to bring? This is a perfect time to go to your tea party cupboard and put together an impromptu tea party!

Now for the perfect star-gazing spot. According to the Yahoo news site, "the best location is far from city and suburban lights. Ideally, find a structure, mountain or tree to block the moon. Then scan as much of the sky as possible. The meteors can appear anywhere, heading in any direction. If you trace their paths backward, they'll all point to the constellation Perseus. ... Allow at least 15 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. Then expect meteors to be sporadic: You might see two in a row, or several minutes could go by between shooting stars." Places away from the lights of the city include Mt. Hamilton, Coyote Park and Joseph D. Grant County Park, Houge Park (Twilight @ White Oaks, Near S. Bascom North Of 85) and the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch (Camino Verde and Manila Drive, Santa Teresa County Park). You might also be able to go into the foothills east of Milpitas, or on Alum Rock road, although Alum Rock Park will be closed 30 minutes after sunset. Be aware that all city parks close at dusk, so you should call the San Jose Parks and Recreation during their office hours to see if any parks will have extended hours for the Perseid meteors.

There are several options for stargazing in the San Jose area, so why not get out the map and find some place? Call around to the big county parks and see if you can enter them before they close for the night, and leave much later. Or, you can set up a lawn chair and bring your tea onto your own front or back yard, and see what you can see. Relive some of your childhood and spend some night time gazing at the stars!

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