There is no better star gazing or meteor watching than in the Hocking Hills which has very little ambient light. Whether watching from The rooftop garden at The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls or the nearby John Glenn Astronomy Park, you will not be disappointed.

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is visible, weather permitting, from mid July through late August. The peak is usually between August 9 – 14.

There it is in black and white, in all of its fiery glory. Whatever you do, do not blink! If you do, you will miss the meteor, as it flames across the night sky. It’s absolutely amazing what a little piece of dust can do when is enters the earth’s atmosphere travelling at 160,000 miles per hour. Meteors are seen as the earth passes through the orbit trail of a comet. As the comet streaks through the heavens, it sheds dust and small debris. When this debris enters the earth’s orbit, friction from the upper atmosphere burns up the meteorite, resulting in a streak of light quickly blazing across the night sky. The brightness and longevity of the light, is a function of the size of the meteor, how near it is to you (don’t worry, it’s thousands of miles away), and how dark the evening is.

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is one of he brightest, numerous and long lasting of all the meteor showers. Best of all, it occurs each year in August, at a time when the viewing weather is warm, most days and nights are cloudless. Many people are on vacation in August, allowing them to stay up all night to enjoy the show. The number of meteors you see, is dependent upon how dark of a location you watch from, and the number of expected meteors. This number can vary significantly from just a few to hundred per hour. On a good, moonless night, 60 – 100 meteors per hour are likely.

Did You Know? Meteorites are also called a “Shooting Star” or “Fallen Star”. Since ancient times, seeing a shooting star was a sign of good luck to come.