Shooting Stars On The Nights of August 11 and 12

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One of the night sky’s yearly showstoppers is fast approaching—and Yosemite National Park is the perfect theater from which to enjoy it. The Perseid meteor shower will flare the nights of August 11 and 12. Glacier Point, that rocky perch thousands of feet above the Yosemite Valley, provides an incomparable vantage to watch a plethora of shooting stars (often scores an hour). Good thing it’s such an easy drive from our Scenic Wonders neighborhood in Yosemite West! Alternatively, don't forget the shooting stars if you are in one of our Yosemite cabins with outdoor Jacuzzis.

The Perseids

The Perseids get their name from the constellation Perseus, associated with the Medusa-slaying hero of Greek myth; to earthbound observers, the meteors seem to emanate from Perseus. They represent a blizzard of debris sourced from the great comet called Swift-Tuttle (slated to make an impressive, visible-to-the-naked-eye appearance over Earth in 2126, by the way—so mark your calendars!). We notice this space grit as it burns up in the upper atmosphere as "shooting stars". Actually, "meteor" technically describes just that brilliant blast of light; the rock being incinerated is a "meteoroid" (and a "meteorite" if, as on very rare occasions, it survives its atmospheric journey and actually crash-lands on Earth). Humans have documented the Perseids for some two millennia. In the richly dark skies over the western Sierra Nevada, they’re a spectacular highlight of the midsummer firmament.

Observing

Perseus will rise in the northeast horizon at about 11 p.m., and the meteor shower will begin to intensify in the constellation’s vicinity. The Moon—whose glow dims other celestial objects—will set a little after midnight August 11 or 12, so your best opportunities to watch the Perseids are in the wee hours of the morning. Remember to wear warm clothes and use caution on your nocturnal commute. Use red-light illumination to consult star charts (or cue up smartphone apps) so you can orient yourself to the celestial grid. Don’t miss the Perseid meteor shower from Glacier Point: It’ll be a highlight of your Yosemite visit.

Make Your Yosemite Reservations Today

If you’re planning to visit Yosemite, consider making your reservations with Yosemite’s Scenic Wonders. We offer Yosemite reservations within the gates of the park. With one of our cozy cabins, condominiums, or homes, your Yosemite accommodations will be just minutes or seconds from the shooting stars. Give us a call at 1-888-YOSEMITE (1-888-967-3648) to book any of our Yosemite cabins with an outdoor jacuzzi today.

Yosemite National Park Blog

Scenic Wonders’ Yosemite blog provides the latest news related to Yosemite National Park. By reading our blog, you’ll stay up to date on activities, accommodations, and more. Related Posts: Photo credit: Dave Dugdale

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