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How to Report Sightings of Shooting Stars in New York

Reporting an astronomical event helps scientists understand the galaxy's current affairs. By observing and recording any shooting stars you see in New York, you are aiding astronomers in their surveillance of the night sky. Paying attention to the details of your location and the flying objects you see are of utmost importance when reporting your sighting to an astronomy program or organization.

Things You'll Need

GPS unit (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Note the appearance of the shooting star, including its brightness and color. Mark how long its tail appeared, how long it was visible and how far it stretched across the sky. You can approximate these measurements. Just noting whether its tail was long or short provides useful information to astronomers.
- 2
  Note where and when you saw the shooting star. Record the exact time. Use a GPS unit to mark your location. If you do not have a GPS unit, record your location with as much description as possible. Note the direction you were facing and the area of the sky in which you saw the shooting star.
- 3
  Contact the proper organizations. Institutions in New York such as New York University and the College of Staten Island have highly involved astrophysical departments and programs. Your information may be officially recorded and used in research. Another option is to report shooting star sightings to the American Meteor Society, a national astronomy organization. Provide all of the details you recorded.

Astronomy