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Perseid Meteor Shower Party At Shenandoah National Park Coming Up

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There are star shows, and there are star shows, and one of the summer's best is the annual Perseid meteor showers. Next Wednesday, you can enjoy the show from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

Join Park Rangers, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador Greg Redfern, and area volunteer astronomers for an evening of astronomy presentations and dark-sky viewing throughout the park. Learn about the Perseid meteor shower, discover the importance of protecting dark night skies, and enjoy close-up views of stars and planets.

Because there are few outdoor lights in the park, Shenandoah is a near-perfect place to view night skies.

There will be three separate star parties in three locations in Shenandoah National Park - Dickey Ridge Visitor Center lawn (mile 4.6 on Skyline Drive), Big Meadows (mile 51), and Loft Mountain amphitheater (mile 79.5).

At Dickey Ridge Visitor Center and Loft Mountain amphitheaters, the evening will begin at 9 p.m. with a 30-minute presentation about the Perseids and dark night skies. Rangers and volunteers from local astronomy clubs will provide constellation tours and opportunities to view the night sky through telescopes. Rangers and volunteers will be on site until 11 p.m., but visitors are welcome to stay longer to continue to view the meteor shower, which will peak before dawn.

At Big Meadows, starting at 9 p.m., Greg Redfern will present The Perseids, Falling Stars at Shenandoah National Park in the Byrd Visitor Center auditorium (mile 51). He will discuss the Perseid meteor shower, meteor showers in general, and the basics of photographing Shenandoah National Park’s night skies. Rangers and volunteer astronomers will provide telescope viewing and constellation tours near the Rapidan Fire Road gate at Big Meadows. Rangers and volunteers will be on site until 11 p.m.

At 11 p.m. (and continuing until 5 a.m.), Redfern will re-join the group in the meadow to share his Under The Stars At Shenandoah National Park presentation with sky lore and fascinating sky facts. Peak viewing is expected to be before dawn, around 4 a.m. on the east coast. Redfern’s presentations are part of the Let’s Talk about Space in Shenandoah program hosted by Delaware North at Shenandoah National Park, an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service.

Presentations will be held regardless of weather, but night sky viewing may be cancelled depending on cloud cover. Participants are encouraged to dress for cool mountain nights and bring blankets, chairs, and flashlights. Parking is available at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, Byrd Visitor Center, and Loft Mountain amphitheater. All programs are free for Park visitors. Participants do not need to register beforehand. Regular Park entrance fees apply.

For more information about the Perseid Meteor Shower Star Party events, contact Byrd Visitor Center at (540) 999-3500 ext. 3283. For questions about Redfern’s presentation and the Let’s Talk About Space program, visit goshenandoah.com or call 877-247-9261.

Comments

We attended the Perseid Meteor Shower Party last night and enjoyed it very much. I'm glad we attended Greg Redfern's presentation before venturing out. It was very interesting and informative. Thanks for the red film we received from the park employees. How thoughtful! We wished everyone had gotten one of these--many flashlights out there in the field, unfortunately, with out it.


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