Rod DeVries addresses attendees during the program for the Perseids tour inside Eagle Butte Observatory.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Under the relatively clear skies of Tuesday night, space enthusiasts gathered at the Eagle Butte Observatory to watch August’s yearly meteor shower.
Observatory owner Rod DeVries put on a program for the attending crowd, explaining the origins of meteors and what would be observed during the shower, known as the Perseid Meteor Shower, in a guided tour.
“They’re called that because they look like they’re coming from the constellation of Perseus,” said DeVries, as he pointed out the stars to visitors with a laser pointer. “Right now, the Earth is ploughing through a debris field left by a comet, and that debris is what we’re seeing as meteors as it enters the atmosphere.”
The comet in question, called Comet Swift-Tuttle, is on a 133-year orbit, and will next return to the night sky in 2126. However, the Perseids are a yearly event, and one of the most consistent and colourful meteor showers due to the larger pieces of debris left behind.
The program consisted of not only information on the shower, but a brief tour of the night sky as it would be visible from the observatory, including pointing out the visible constellations of Cygnus, Pegasus and teaching attendees how to find key stars such as Polaris, the north star, and Arcturus, the star by which the arctic gets its name.
From there, attendees were treated to refreshments and time to watch for meteors away from the brunt of the city’s light pollution, while DeVries showcased some modern astrophotography to take pictures of deep space objects.
The tour itself saw roughly 10 people, a turnout which DeVries was pleased with, as it allowed for a more intimate experience and space to ask questions for guests.
“If there’s even one person who hasn’t seen this kind of thing before outside, who gets to enjoy it, then I’m happy,” said DeVries. This was the first time he had hosted something of this nature out of his own observatory for the general public rather than private bookings.
“I’m glad I could do this here, and I would love to expand that and do more,” said DeVries. “I’m grateful to be working alongside Tourism Medicine Hat for events like this.”
