June 30, 2022 - National Meteor Watch Day | National Bomb Pop Day

Welcome to June 30th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a show that’s outta this world and a rocket that keeps us cool here on Earth. The Comet Swift-Tuttle is one of the largest extra-planetary objects in the solar system. Each year, this giant ball of ice and rock gives the people of Earth quite a show. Debris from the comet’s long tail plunges into our atmosphere at 37 miles per second and burns up. This creates spectacular meteor showers known as the Perseids, which are visible from late July through August. On nights when the moon isn’t as bright, sky watchers can see anywhere from 25-100 meteors per hour. But the Perseids aren’t the only show in town. On National Meteor Watch Day, peel yourself away from your phone or TV and look to the skies for some out of this world entertainment. Doc Abernathy and James Merrit of Kansas City, MO were supposedly on a road trip when they came up with the idea for the bomb pop. It was 1955, during the height of the Cold War, when these two were inspired by a patriotic theme. Today the red, white and blue trio of cherry, lemon and blue raspberry still appeals to the kid in all of us. If you remember scrambling for change at the sound of music from the ice cream truck turning down your street, you'll remember your first bomb pop. Some original popsicle flavors have been retired, but the bomb pop is still the best way to stay cool on any given day in Summer. On National Bomb Pop Day, celebrate staying frosty with this iconic blast from the past. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices