Join the members of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society at Cheyenne Mountain State Park for a meteor watch party of the Perseids and stunning views of our Colorado night skies!
The Perseid Meteor Shower creates a fantastic opportunity to view meteors (aka Shooting Stars)! Bring out the whole family with chairs, blankets & pillows, binoculars and some snacks to sit comfortably with us and watch the skies and enjoy the show!
Red Glowsticks will be available for purchase in the telescope zone!
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The crescent moon should not be too much of a problem this year. Skies should still be dark enough for a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
Our CSASTRO members will be bringing out many telescopes for free public viewing of planets, stars and nebula. Listen to a laser guided presentation about the night sky above us and hear some of the stories that cultures have told about the stars for thousands of years. Both Saturn and Jupiter will be visible!
Please see the images below for parking instructions. Telescopes and seating areas will be set up on the eastern side of the Limekiln Trailhead Parking lot. Parking will be available on the west side of the parking lot near the restrooms. Please make sure to pull forward into any parking space so that your headlights are facing towards the mountain and AWAY from the telescope area.
NOTES for visitors:
• Entry fee to the park is $10, or free with your Colorado State Park Pass
• Restrooms will be available all night
• This is a stargazing event, so please refrain from bringing any white-light lanterns or flashlights as they will ruin your dark-adapted night vision and those around you. Red lights are always welcome! Red glow-sticks will be available for purchase and the observing areas will have red lights set up along the perimeter.
• As views of the stars are dependent upon weather conditions, please watch this post and CSASTRO Facebook or Instagram postings for updates, changes or cancellations due to weather.
• The weather can be much colder at night when you’re stargazing and not moving very much! We recommend dressing for at least 20 degrees colder than what the nightly low temperature forecast predicts.
• While we love pets, please do not bring any animals with you. Service dogs are allowed.
This event is free and open to the public.
