Dan's Outside

It is shooting star season – in more ways than one

I originally posted:

Tom Stienstra has article at SF Gate with some useful information for those who may find themselves away from city lights in the evening over the next few weeks.

But shortly afterward I realized that an UPDATE would be in order:

Since many of you may be familiar with more than one kind of shooting star, let me clarify that Stienstra’s article is about the kind that flashes through the night sky and is otherwise known as a meteor.

Fellow Sierra Nevada travelers and others will know that the other kind of shooting star is a very beautiful flower that often grows in thick patches in wet (and, unfortunately, mosquito-infested) areas of the mountains at about this time of year.

If you time it right, you might be able to see both types of shooting star on the same trip! That’s what I’m hoping for this week.

July 27, 2009 - Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary