Meteor Shower Set To Disrupt Gambling Across The USA
August 13, 2010 9:53 amYesterday’s Perseid Meteor Shower is set to continue disrupting the gambling action in casinos across the USA, as the annual astronomical event nears its celestial climax.
Despite taking place between July 23 and August 24, the meteor storm reaches its peak this year between the 9th and 14th when more than 60 meteors can be seen darting across the night sky every hour.
In August, the casino floors see their floors emptied gradually during the spectacle, with Nevada one of the worst affected areas as it has one of the clearest views of the Perseids.
With Nevada’s casino revenues continuing to languish in the doldrums, the gambling operations could probably do without any further disruptions to their business.
However, most casinos believe the awesome display adds to the experience of their gamblers and commenting on the upcoming Perseid crescendo, Gaming Analyst Brad Dawkins said:
“Tonight’s meteor showers will give casino gamblers a nice break from their slots. Sometimes, gamblers can get caught in a rut of sitting in front of the machines for hours. At least the meteor showers will allow them time to re-energize.”
The first wave of meteors are due to make an appearance around 10PM on the East Coast and can be seen in part of the sky containing the constellation Perseus.
This year the display is even more spectacular than usual as the planets Mars, Saturn, and Venus are also visible in the night sky.
The shooting stars seen as part of the Perseid Meteor Shower is actually the result of debris and dust left over by the Swift-Tuttle comet colliding with and burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere.