NEW ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT VIEWING THE PERSEIDS

The Analemma Society will open Turner Farm Observatory Park Saturday, August 11 for public observing of the Perseids meteor shower. Hours are 9 PM to 2 AM.

However, if we get rain or solid clouds, we will likely close early. Check for status updates at our @AnalemmaSociety twitter account (accessible on the website under Tweets). 

The Analemmal Society will NOT open Turner Farm Park for public observing of the meteor shower on Sunday night, August 12.

Meteor showers are best viewed with your unaided eyes lying in a lawn chair wrapped in a blanket or sleeping bag to stay warm. At Observatory Park we will have a meteor expert on hand to explain what you're viewing and how best to observe (any direction and halfway between the horizon and zenith). The Perseids are visible all night long with maximum rates occurring after midnight.

On Sunday August 12th, a one hour meteor class is scheduled for 8PM at Observatory Park at the Roll-Top Observatory. This class sponsored by Fairfax County Parktakes and requires a small fee. Those interested can sign up for it on the Fairfax County Parktakes website (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/turner-farm/events). Search for "meteor" under "science and technology" at "TurnerFarmPk". The class limit is 24 persons, so sign up early.

The Perseid Meteor Shower is an annual event when the earth's orbit around the sun plows through debris left by comet Swift-Tuttle. The date is around mid-August, varying between the 11th and 13th. The NASA video below was for the year 2015 when the best viewing occurred on August 12/13. This year Perseid meteor shower will reach its maximum rate of activity on 13 August 2018. Both nights of Saturday Aug 11/12 and Sunday Aug 12/13 are ideal for watching the meteors. This is a great year to watch the Perseid meteors as the moon is only a small waxing cresent after sunset ... well before midnight when we'll see the best display.