Perseids, Castronomy, and the Art of Wonder

In a world that’s constantly online, being alone with yourself has become almost impossible. Between notifications, endless streams of content, and the algorithms pulling the strings of our lives, it’s harder and harder to focus and actually hear our own voice. Honestly, what did we even do before we were glued to our screens? Where did those small, quiet moments go? Castronomy invites you to remember them and to rekindle your curiosity for the unknown.

The truth is, they never disappeared. They’re still right in front of our eyes, unfolding on their own. For eyes that have long been detached from reality, this is an invitation to return, one that has repeated itself every single year for centuries. If you recently caught a fleeting green streak across the sky, then you’ve already met them: the Perseid Meteor Shower.

Let’s clear something up: what’s falling isn’t actually stars. They’re mostly cosmic dust and rocks. For the curious ones; the shower takes its name from the Perseus constellation, and it’s created by the debris trail of the Swift-Tuttle comet. Regardless of the details, one thing’s not up for debate: watching a meteor shower is pure magic.

This year, we were lucky enough to witness the Perseids thanks to a collaboration between Castrol and National Geographic. “Wait, what do you mean?” you might ask. That’s where Castronomy steps in. It’s the background story that’s been at work for over 60 years, making technologies possible in everything from NASA’s Apollo missions to the Mars Rovers, from the Space Shuttle Program to the International Space Station. Pretty cool, right?

And so we’re left with only a couple of questions: “How many wishes can I make for each shooting star?” or “Where should I look in the sky to see the most?” Maybe the answers don’t matter as much as the questions themselves. Because it seems like right now is the perfect time to dream.