The Red Hills Desert Garden and the St. George Astronomy Group are each hosting separate gatherings for viewing the annual Perseid Meteor Shower on different nights. The Red Hills Desert Garden event will be Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 8 to 11 p.m. and will be facilitated by Samuel Toble of the Dixie State University Science Department. The St. George Astronomy Group’s star party will be held at Unity Park in Ivins on Wednesday, Aug. 12, from 9 to 11 p.m. Both events are free to the public and suitable for all ages.
As the Swift-Tuttle comet hurtles along its 133-year orbit, it leaves in its wake a trail of debris, known as the Perseid cloud. Each summer, fragments and rubble from the Perseid cloud are pulled into the Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in what is known as the Perseid Meteor Shower. Many of these meteors have been floating in space for thousands of years. Most meteors burn up in the atmosphere 50 miles above the planet’s surface. The comet itself will not be viewable. It was last near the Earth in 1992 and will be viewable in 2126, approaching Earth again in 4479.
Attendees to the viewing events will not need any special equipment, as the shower will be visible to the naked eye. However, viewing meteors is a waiting game, so viewers should bring blankets, chairs, or whatever else they may require in order to make themselves comfortable.
Red Hills Desert Garden is located at 375 E Red Hills Parkway in St. George. For more information, please call (435) 673-3617. The St. George Astronomy Group star party will be held on the south side of Unity Park on 400 S. For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/site/StGeorgeAstronomyGroup.
