By Mark Bashore
The Perseid meteor shower is back this month. A prime viewing spot is close to the Mackinac Bridge. Current State talks with Mary Stewart Adams of the Headlands International Dark Sky Park.
Informed stargazers know that August is the month of the Perseid meteor shower. That’s when the Earth passes through the dust from the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle. Debris trailing the object become visible as blazing streaks of light as they enter our planet’s atmosphere. According to the website earthsky.org, this can result in as many as 50 sightings per hour, a captivating display.
The night sky as seen from the Headlands International Dark Sky Park. Image: Headlands International Dark Sky Park
Meteor showers are of particular interest at a remote spot near the tip of Michigan’s lower peninsula. That’s where you’ll find the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, just west of the Mackinac Bridge.
Current State talks with Mary Stewart Adams, a veteran stargazer and skywatcher who is Program Director at Headlands in Emmet County.
This segment was produced by WKAR’s Current State and is reproduced with permission.