After some recent rain showers, it’s time for a meteor shower instead! It’s time for the Perseids Meteor Shower, and there’s no better place to ‘catch a falling star’ than your local National Park Service dark sky site. Visitors can catch these shooting stars at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument on Sunday night, August 11th, from 8pm – 10pm.
The Perseids Meteor Shower occurs each year when Earth swings through the orbiting dust that escaped from Comet Swift-Tuttle. The dust and tiny rocks vaporize in the upper atmosphere, leaving a streak and glowing tail that delights young and old alike.
Along with meteor watching, park volunteer Tom Robinson will give an astronomy talk, opportunities for junior rangers to earn their Night Sky patch, and deep space object observations through the monument’s telescopes.
Visitors should bring lawn chairs or blankets to spread out on the lawn outside of the visitor center. Please only bring red flashlights. Red cellophane and rubber bands will be available in the visitor center to cover visitor flashlights as needed. Night vision is extremely important to spot as many streaks as possible. White lights, including car headlights, can ruin this vision.
Black Hills Parks & Forest Association sells night sky related items in the visitor center. It will be open from 7:30-8:00pm. The night sky program begins at 8:00pm. Telescopes will be set-up by 8:30pm to view stars, planets, and constellations guided by rangers and telescope volunteers. Meteor shower counting continues until 10pm.
We hope you can join us for this fun-filled evening. For more information, please contact the park at (308) 665-4113 or . No registration is needed.
Admission to Agate Fossil Beds is always free. Check out other events and activities on the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/agfo/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is located 34 miles north of Mitchell, NE or 22 miles south of Harrison, NE on Highway 29 and 3 miles east on River Rd. The Visitor Center summer hours are 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and the trails are open from dawn until dusk. Visit us at www.nps.gov/agfo and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
