I think I might have seen a shooting star* this evening while standing outside on the balcony. A little something shimmered, streaked downwards, trailed for a second, then disappeared. It all happened so quickly that I didn't really even have time to make a wish.
Can you wish upon a star post-facto? Is that allowed?
I decided to give it a try, but then I couldn't decide what to wish for, as there are about two or three current wishes (plus, I'm horrible at decision making). After pondering a moment and attempting to somehow prioritize my wishes, I realized it was most likely too late by now; the star had died out a few minutes ago. Or, a few weeks/ months/ years/ whatever ago, depending upon how far away it was.
What if the actual time of shooting was last summer, when I used to make wishes on dandelions* when no one was looking? Wouldn't it be a strange coincidence if the shooting star shined its last shimmer just as I watched the last dandelion seed dance away in the summer wind? Maybe those summer wishes will count double and come true after all. :)
Do you have to wish upon a star at the actual point it shoots, or at the point where you see it shoot? Because there's quite a time difference there, though time is relative.
*shrugs her shoulders*
*Sternschnuppe
**Pusteblume
2 comments:
I really do not want to disturb your hopes concerning the shooting star you've seen while standing outside on your balcony. I have to say, though, that the actual time of the shooting most likely has not been last summer.
Meteors occur at the altitude of about 50 to 80 km up in the atmosphere. Given the fact that your shooting star was about 100 km away from your balcony (it has not been right up above your head but somewhere up the horizon, right?) the light of that appearance has travelled the distance in just about 0,0003 seconds. I assume a human being can not even think that fast.
Apart from meteors or dandelions: May your good wishes become true.
Yours, Sydney.
Syd - thanks for your comment (or should I say correction?). :) I guess I should have paid more attention in science class... but then again, it's more interesting to be imaginative and dreamy and write creatively... so thanks for bringing some much-needed facts and mathematics to the table.
My calculations had an error of *ahem* several months, but then again, in light of eternity, even a mistake of several years would have been rather trivial. Excuses, excuses, I know. :)
Are you sure you want to be an engineer, and not an astronomer? And speaking of wishes and dreams... you could even design and build the first space-submarine. :)
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