Event Perseid Meteor Shower

Every summer the Earth plows through a trail of cometary debris. HRPO hosts a viewing session during the nighttime period with the best chance of high meteor rates. Viewing may shift by one day.

HRPO Viewing Session:

Wednesday 12 August from 10pm to 2am CDT
For ages six and older. No admission fee.
Visitors must adhere to rules below.

ABOUT THE PERSEIDS

The Perseids are one of the major meteor showers of the year, caused by debris left from the passings of Comet Swift-Tuttle. Come learn about meteors and let’s see if we can spot some “earthgrazers”. But look long and intently for the meteors; Perseid meteoroids hit our atmosphere traveling about sixty kilometers a second! If you’re lucky, you may see a fireball…

SUGGESTED TIMES FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY VIEWING

The best nights for people to view this year’s Perseid Meteor Shower are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights—preferably 10:15pm to 4:15am each night. Use a blanket or sleeping bag. NOAA has a twenty-two percent chance of rain for Wednesday afternoon. If the grass in the area is wet that day, HRPO personnel strongly recommend either placing a tarp underneath your blanket or using a lawn chair.

POSITION OF THE MOON

The waxing crescent Moon will be below the horizon.

DIRECTION OF VIEWING

Meteor hunters should face northwest or southeast.

OUTSIDE LIGHTING

All nearby outside lighting should be capped, shielded or dimmed (white light should be turned off). No non-red light should go directly into the viewer’s face or directly up into the sky.

RULES FOR HRPO VIEWING SESSION

*Please do not set up your blanket without receiving direction from staff. Visitors may only use the lawn south of the 16OGS building. Please do not lie down on any concrete, as your body would be a tripping hazard.
*No white lights are allowed. White light destroys night vision. Please keep headlights off. Please use a red flashlight; alternatively, outfit your white flashlight with red construction paper, a red stretch balloon, red cellophane (several layers may be needed to make the light suitably dim) or a thin coat of red nail polish. Please do not use a camera flash upstairs in a dome or at the viewing pad without permission from the telescope operators.
*Binoculars are not encouraged for meteor hunting as magnification limits the field of view.
*Although telescopes aren’t needed for the Perseids, we’ll have a telescope available from 10pm to midnight for leisurely gazing at other celestial objects.
*If a telescope is not in operation, please do not handle it in any way. If a telescope is in operation, please wait until it’s your turn and place your eye to the eyepiece without touching the telescope.
*No glass containers are allowed.
*Pets must remain under control and on a leash at all times.
*Litter and refuse are to be placed in proper receptacles.
*Running is not allowed outside at night, or inside at any time.
*Food and drink are not allowed in either of the domes.
*Alcohol, smoking and loud music are not allowed. Please utilize headphones or earphones so that only you hear your music.
*It is disallowed for any person to be on BREC property after dark. HRPO grounds are the only BREC property on which the public is invited for meteor hunting. There will be no remaining on HRPO grounds after the event ends.