WNKY News 40 Weather Reports: Where To Watch The Perseids

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky.- Stargazers get ready for a chance to see a spectacle in the night sky. The annual Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak activity in early August. Meteor showers show up whenever Earth passes an area of rocky or icy chunks flying in space, they appear as “shooting stars”. 

Meteorologist Darius Mack visited Mammoth Cave National Park to explore why it’s a great place for viewing astronomical events. 

“Mammoth cave was recognized as being an international dark sky park back in 2021. So that means that we have an outstanding environment for dark skies.” – Said Molly Schroer, Public Information Officer at Mammoth Cave National Park 

Schroer explains that because of the lack of light pollution, the park is a great location for viewing stars, moons, planets, or any other deep space objects. 

“It’s going  to peak Sunday night and Monday morning. You’ll definitely want to be out of the city so you want to try to go where skies are a little darker .The moon will be rising in the west. So you’ll want to get to a dark area where you won’t be in, much of that light pollution.” Said Maxx Haehn, Observatory Education Scientist, WKU. 

Heahn mentioned that the Perseids will be more visible in the east.   

Space enthusiasts are welcome to attend The Star Watch Party hosted at Mammoth Cave National Park Monday August 12 from 7pm to 10pm. Both park rangers and volunteers from Western Kentucky University’s Hilltoppers Astronomy Club will be on hand to answer any questions about the celestial objects in the night sky.