August 16, 2020 The Perseid meteor shower is one of the best shows that the night skies put on every August. For me, there are few things as enjoyable as lying back on a reclining chair or blanket and watching for meteors. The excitement of not knowing when or where a meteor will flash into view is what keeps me up late into the night, along with the hope of capturing a fireball or bolide (exploding meteor with a super bright flash) with my camera.
This summer, I drove to Makinoto Pass situated on the north slope of Mt. Kuju. At an elevation of 1330 meters, it provides a commanding view, and also clearer skies and cooler temperatures. I went on the night of the 13-14th as the previous night (the peak) was partly cloudy. Makinoto Pass has two observation points. I first set up my gear at the more popular higher point , but people would come and go with their bright lanterns or headlamps on their way to the top of Mt. Kuju, so I moved to the lower platform. Here, there was no one; just a cute fox who poked it’s head out of the underbrush for a brief moment to check me out. I stayed until around 2:30, when mountain fog came rolling in from the southwest ending the show, but not before I saw and captured some incredible shooting stars!
Link to Makinoto https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/guide/kuju/facilities/makinoto/14.html
Thank you for visiting. Be safe everyone.
MOSTLY BIRDS 