Jethro wrote:
I was just doing my usual star gazing in NE Ohio just now because we
have clear skies again. I saw 3 meteors within 20 - 30 minutes. As
far as I know, there is no big meteor showers currently and the peak
viewing for the Perseids meteor shower is past. When there is no peak
viewing hours for a big meteor shower, what's the average rate you see
them?

Not certain what the average rate is, but what you
saw it NOT rare. The darker the sky and the more you observe
(naked eye) the more meteors you're going to notice. 3 meteors
in 20-30 minutes is not unusual; happens all the time.

Sometimes they leave trails of different colors that linger - white,
orange, even green. Some are fat, some are thin. Fast or slow. What
till you see your first fireball. Those can be impressive and spooky.
So bright they occasionally will cast a shadow during their
brief life. Some explode noislessly at the end of their descent,
or fracture into pieces.

When I was a kid (8 - 10 yo) meteors are what got me interested
in astronomy. Used to sleep over at a friends house and we'd lay out
on deck chairs for the greater part of the night looking for them.
Didn't care about the stars, just meteors.

-Eric B