The Finest Locations to See the Stars and Meteors Close to DC

Joyful August recess! When you’re not already out of city or have plans to go out of city, you could want some last-minute inspiration for an escape. A brief drive to benefit from the annual Perseid meteor bathe ought to be in your docket. The meteor bathe ought to (“ought to” due to climate; nobody controls clouds) be most seen the evening of August 12 into August 13 (particularly 4 a.m. on August 13), which is handy it’s additionally a weekend. We’ve rounded up just a few of the very best choices for viewing the meteor present in and close to DC. Whether or not you wish to see the present and camp like an professional, sleep in a campground subsequent to your automobile or commingle with like-minded astronomers, there’s an choice for everybody.

Observatories have fairly nice views of the sky. Together with the Analemma Society, Turner Farm Park Observatory is internet hosting a viewing occasion on August 12 from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. It’s not at peak visibility, however when there are upwards of 100 meteors per hour, you must nonetheless be capable to see sufficient house particles to make the expertise satisfying. If the climate doesn’t cooperate this yr, you could wish to add this annual occasion to your Google Calendar. 

This park, somewhat greater than an hour from DC, is designated as an Worldwide Darkish Sky Park. The Virginia state park gives primitive tenting, that means no drive-up websites and fewer mild air pollution out of your neighbors. For $20 ($25 for non-Virginia residents), you’re allowed to pitch a tent and stare on the bathe. As of this writing, campsites that permit reservations are all taken, however there’s walk-in honor tenting out there. When you’re contemplating Sky Meadows, you could wish to arrive 12 hours earlier than the height bathe; test in begins at 4 p.m. 

When you’ve thought of touring to catch the height of the Perseid meteor bathe, you’ve most likely thought of Shenandoah. This can be a cheap technique as a result of the views are unbelievable, they usually’re additionally internet hosting the Evening Sky Competition with greater than three dozen astronomy-related occasions on August 11, 12 and 13. Much like Sky Meadows, each reserve-in-advance campsite has been booked, however there’s no scarcity of day-of availability at Lewis Mountain, Loft Mountain and Mathews Arm. When you’re going this route, you could wish to signal as much as the NPS alert system; on weekends, they ship out twice-daily updates on campsite availability. When you can’t discover a campsite and are comfy driving mountains at nighttime, you’re nonetheless good at Shenandoah. Skyline Drive is open 24/7. 

Affected by Ladies’s World Cup fatigue? Would you relatively study meteor showers than see a meteor bathe? Most significantly: don’t wish to depart town? The Rock Creek Park Nature Heart hosts a Evening Sky Planetarium Program on weekend afternoons. Spend half-hour studying in regards to the sky from a park ranger in the one planetarium within the Nationwide Park system.

When you’d like to remain in DC with out checking in with a ranger, simply seek the advice of the sunshine air pollution map and set your individual coordinates.