Shooting stars are a feature of many animated love stories, sci-fi films and fairy tales, and they’ve been seen as a symbol of good fortune for centuries.
But why would a small piece of burning meteoric or asteroid space debris attract such good luck superstition?
Prior to the 19th Century, shooting stars weren’t regarded as originating from the cosmos, but were thought to be regular atmospheric phenomena, in the same way as lightning or hail is.
The word meteor originates from the ancient Greek, 'ta meteōra' and medieval Latin, 'meteorum', which both mean “high up” or “in the sky”.
It’s thought that the good luck superstition associated with shooting stars originated around the 2nd century BC with the Greek astronomer Ptolemy, who believed that they were caused by the gods parting the skies to peer down on humankind from the heavens, and in doing so, dislodging stars which would blaze across the sky.
Because of this belief, it was thought that shooting stars were tangible signs of the moment the gods were gazing upon us, and so wishing on a star at this point would mean the gods may see and grant you your wish.
Shooting stars aren’t just associated with good luck though - they’re also connected to the afterlife.
In Ancient China, the philosopher Confucius viewed shooting stars as departed souls transitioning beyond the realms of the living, or even returning to earth to be reincarnated as a brand new human.
In sea faring, seeing a shooting star and noting the direction it fell in was used to gauge the direction the wind.
In Eastern Europe and parts of Mexico, seeing a shooting star is regarded as a bad omen. It’s thought to be evil spirits delivering bad fortune to the earth.
Wherever they are seen though one thing is for sure; shooting stars are a sign of change.
But how can you 'catch' a shooting star?
To view shooting stars the most effectively, you are better off facing east, which is the direction of the earth's rotation, or in times of a meteor shower, you’ll need to be facing whichever constellation they are coming from.
The best time to see them is just before the dawn. Our eyes take about half an hour to adjust to the darkness, so make sure you leave enough time for that to happen.
The environment needs to be as dark as possible, with little light pollution. In cities it’s hard to see them, but still possible if you can find a spot dark enough.
Meteor showers happen several times a year and this is the best time to spot them as you’ll be able to see many per hour.
The following dates are when you’re likely to get the best chance:
Perseid Meteor Shower – mid-July to late August
Leonid Meteor Shower – most of November
Geminid Meteor Shower – mid-December
So get your blankets and a hot cup of tea, and settle in, and try to catch your very own shooting stars.
And when you do, be sure to make a wish...
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