Looking for a unique way to squeeze in precious family-time and the opportunity to learn new things? One of the biggest, annual meteor showers occurs in mid-July through August and another occurs October through early-November. Read on for viewing tips, dark sky intel and camp site information for you and your group!
Viewing a meteor shower is most satisfying in a dark sky location, as far from urban light pollution as possible, such as in a rural Campground.
According to the experts at Griffith Observatory, the best way to watch a meteor shower is to travel to a wilderness area or campground that has a dark sky. It’s best to choose a night when the Moon is not visible during the shower. Most meteor showers are strongest after midnight and until dawn.
Pro Tip: Dress warmly and lie back on a deck or lounge chair, so that you are looking up at the sky. Don’t look at bright lights like flashlights or cell phone displays which can desensitize your eyes for ten minutes or more.
Perseids | July 17 – August 24 Peak Night: August 12/13
Expected dark sky rate: 83 meteors per hour. The light of the nearly full moon, however, will reduce the numbers of visible meteors. Perseid meteors are produced by particles shed by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. They hit our atmosphere at 37 miles (59 kilometers) per second. Bright moonlight will affect viewing this year.
Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear in the sky. Perseid meteors are produced by particles shed by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. They hit our atmosphere at 37 miles (59 kilometers) per second.
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Orionids | October 20–21, 2022
Peak Time: Morning of October 21st
Often featuring some of the brightest and fastest streaking stars, the Orionids appear in mid-October and reach their peak in the hours before dawn on October 21. This year, they occur alongside a thin waning crescent Moon, which won't impact the meteors' show much!
The Orionid meteor shower is active from October 2 to November 7. The Orionids peak on the morning of the 21st. The rate will be about 19 meteors per hour. Orionids are particles shed by comet 1P/Halley, and they hit our atmosphere at 41 miles (66 kilometers) per second. The meteors appear to stream from the area of the upraised club in the constellation Orion the Hunter.
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Care-for-It
Recreating responsibly includes packing trash bags to leave our wild spaces cleaner than you found them. There is a glass ban in the Sequoia National Forest, so remember to use plastic storage containers, ziploc bags, or bota bags for camping gear and kitchen supplies instead.
Ready to go stargazing on the Kern River?
Then let’s go! At Kern River’s Edge, you’ll find spacious campsites, concierge firewood & ice deliveries, and the best viewing spots on the Kern River. With over 40 camping sites to choose from and easy access to all types of activities — including stargazing —, there’s something for everyone at the River’s Edge campsite.