One of the few good things I can remember about my dad he woke me up to see I suppose the Perseid Meteor Shower in the 60's. To this day I have never seen anything more amazing. The sky was ablaze with incoming meteors.
We lived in the far reaches of the country. No city lights. And it was as I said. You didn't have to sit for an hour to see one as I have done ever since. I suppose it was a once in a lifetime experience. That is the only reason I look for them now. As I remember it they were falling like rain.Fifty years ago the sky was dark and the night sky was terrific, especially when we had a meteor shower. I went out Monday and Tuesday night after midnight and again at 3 - 4 am and saw nothing but venus and a dozen assorted stars. I was very disappointed. The city here is about 100,000 with a total tri-county population of 300,000. The night sky is totally washed out.
A couple years ago I drove twenty miles outside the city, but even the farm towns are so bright the night sky is pitiful.
I grew up in the sticks too. And I kinda remember things that way also. It really did seem like there were more of them back then.We lived in the far reaches of the country. No city lights. And it was as I said. You didn't have to sit for an hour to see one as I have done ever since. I suppose it was a once in a lifetime experience. That is the only reason I look for them now. As I remember it they were falling like rain.