Tonight, head outside to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower.
The meteor shower peaks from August 12-13. The best time to see the show is between 11PM and before dawn. View from a place with as little light pollution as possible. Don’t worry about getting a telescope or binoculars–the shower will be bright enough to see without them.
If your kids like the show, consider visiting a public observatory in the future. Watching celestial events like meteor showers can help foster an interest in science and technology. These are some observatories that are open to the public on certain days. See their website for information on hours and special programs:
Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory at the Maryland Science Center
Howard B. Owens Science Center Planetarium
University of Maryland Observatory
Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center
For more summer fun ideas, check out our 100 Days of Summer list of family activities, or see our daily calendar of events.
