Posted in New Jersey August 09, 2019 by

The New Jersey Sky Will Light Up With Shooting Stars And A Nearly Full Moon This Weekend

New Jersey may not be known for its clear skies but we do have some amazing places to see the stars. That’s quite fortunate with the upcoming meteor shower. While the nearly full moon will make seeing shooting stars a bit more difficult, the Perseids will still put on quite a show in the Garden State.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Let's start from the beginning. According to Greek mythology, Perseus was a demigod, the son of Zeus. His story is quite the epic tale but to sum it up - he's best known for beheading Medusa.
Montrealais/Wikipedia
Because Perseus was such a legend, he had a constellation named after him that can be found in the Northern sky near Andromeda and Cassiopeia. The Perseid Meteor Shower was so named because the meteors appear to come from this region of the sky.
Library of Congress/Wikipedia
Associated with the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Perseids are one of our most prolific meteor showers. (This particular photo was not taken in New Jersey - the Perseids are visible all over the world.)
Ahmed abd elkader mohamed/Wikipedia
Visible from mid-July to late-August, the shower's peak is typically between August 9-14. This year (2019), the peak will will be August 11-13.
Bill Ingalls/NASA/Wikipedia
You can expect 60 or more meteors to streak through the sky each hour. While they can be spotted anywhere, look towards the Northern Hemisphere for the most action. (Please note that this is a time lapse photo.)
PiConsti/Wikipedia
Because the moon will be nearly full (completely full on August 15), it's likely that about 20 meteors per hour will be visible BUT we've got a pro tip from NASA - the moon will be setting at around 3 am. Enjoy darker skies (and more meteors) between 3 a.m. and sunrise.
Nigel Howe/Wikipedia
So, where can you enjoy the show in New Jersey? Your best bet is to distance yourself from city lights. Take a little road trip to....
Diana Robinson/Flickr
Hope! On August 10th, The United Astronomy Clubs of New Jersey will host its Astronomy for Beginners night at the observatory in Jenny Jump State Forest. You'll enjoy a presentation and stargazing, plus some top-notch telescopes. The program is free and will begin at 8 pm. Address: 333 State Park Road, Hope, NJ, 07844.

Other dark sky spots in New Jersey include Voorhees State Park in High Bridge and Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine.

Fun fact… Though they appear much larger, most meteors are only about the size of a marble. Will you be keeping an eye out? For another incredible astronomy experience in New Jersey, check out the largest planetarium in America. Learn more by clicking here.