Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center will host its annual Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party – a free, fun-filled family evening of crafts, science experiments, games, snacks, and stargazing – at 9pm Friday August 10, at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center. The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 592 NE K-156 Hwy, is at the southeast side of Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, northeast of Great Bend.

The Perseid Meteor Shower occurs every year when the earth passes through the trail of dust and debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet. Perseids are a popular meteor shower each year, but this year will be better than most, with a peak of 60-70 meteors per hour. The moon will be near new moon, at a crescent, so it will set early. This means clear, dark skies for better meteor watching. The shower gets its name because the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus.

Families of all ages are encouraged to come out to learn the difference between an asteroid, comet and meteor through a dry ice science experiment, enjoy a night hike on our nature trail, create a space rock fridge magnet, play glow-in-the-dark wiffle ball, and enjoy s’mores while gazing at the night sky. In addition to the activities, the FHSU Science and Mathematics Education Institute will have its inflatable planetarium for guaranteed star-viewing. Activities will run until the sky is dark enough to enjoy the meteors.

Bring a lawn chair or blanket for more comfortable stargazing. For more information, call the KWEC at 1-877-243-9268.