National Seashore’s “Dark Skies Over Hatteras” program will coincide with peak of Perseid meteor shower

The Cape Hatters National Seashore’s (CHNS) weekly “Dark Skies Over Hatteras” program will coincide with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower on Thursday, per a recent update from CHNS.

Known as one of the most popular meteor showers for expert and amateur astronomers alike, the summertime Perseid Meteor Shower can produce up to 60 meteors per hour during the peak timeframe, and some years, can even produce up to 100 meteors per hour or more.

The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year from about July 23 to August 22, but reaches the peak timeframe from the early morning hours of August 11 until dawn on August 13.

The “Dark Skies Over Hatteras” program takes place every Thursday evening from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. until Labor Day Weekend, and is a free program that is open to the public, with no reservations required.

“The Perseid meteor shower will peak TOMORROW on August 12,” stated a CHNS social media update. “Bring a blanket and join us on the beach at Off-Road Vehicle Ramp 43 in Buxton to see the show. We will start the evening at 8:30 p.m. with some night sky activities and our weekly Dark Skies program will begin at 9:00 p.m. Stick around after the program to observe the night sky.”

Locally, the Eastern N.C. forecast calls for clear or partly cloudy skies through Friday, August 13, so viewing conditions along the Outer Banks shoreline should be exceptional for the meteor shower.

For more information on the free summertime programs offered by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, click here.

For more information on the Perseid Meteor Shower, as well as other night sky highlights for August, click here.