BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire most weeks.
But this week, Klein shares his own thoughts, in an audio essay about the commonly heard phrase, "meteoric rise."
"The other day I was listening to the business news show, Marketplace Morning Report, as they noted once again, ‘the meteoric rise of the chipmaker Nvidia.’ Leaving matters of market capitalization and stock-price aside, let's look at the adjective ‘meteoric’. I have to wonder why meteors, specks as small as a bit of gravel or a grain of sand which fall through the atmosphere toward Earth, are so often linked to the word, ‘rise’.
"There can be a meteoric fall, I suppose, but it's not a phrase you hear nearly as often. And a bit of internet sleuthing revealed at least three explanations.
"First, the origin of the word, "meteor" is from a Greek word that simply means lofty, and predates the association with shooting stars.
"Secondly, the phrase in question may simply focus on the suddenness of a meteor's appearance, over the direction of its travel.
"And lastly, this telling observation. I sat this summer watching the annual Perseid meteor shower from a dark lakeside in Maine. And I can attest that shooting stars may appear to rise if their streak of light begins near the horizon. They can seem to ascend into the night sky. A meteoric rise indeed."
Marty McGuire will be back with us next week. Until then, keep watching the skies.
