Where does the tradition of wishing on a shooting star come from?
The oldest reference to wishing on a star is the nursery rhyme Star Light, Star Bright, dating back to the late 1800’s. It is believed that our ancestors wished on stars or shooting stars even farther back, as the stars were often associated with mystical powers. Even the Bible refers to Jesus Christ as a star, as in the star of Jacob or the bright and morning star. How can I learn more? One great resource is meteor showers online, which lists all the meteor showers for the year with further information about each, as well as tips on how to view them. There is also a great article posted by the St. Louis Astronomy Examiner. Happy star gazing and may all your wishes come true!
