Perseids Meteor Shower Viewing At Potawatomi Wildlife Park
Posted
Staff Report-
TIPPECANOE – Potawatomi Wildlife Park, located south of Bourbon, invites you to use its observing field beginning at dark Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the peak of this year’s viewing of the Perseids Meteor Shower. Make sure to check the weather for sky conditions. A telescope or binoculars are not required to enjoy meteor showers. Items to make your outing more enjoyable can include a blanket, lounge chair, bug spray, snacks and a jacket for those cooler evenings. Potawatomi Wildlife Park is Indiana’s only Dark Sky Preserve. The Observing Field is located within the park north of the flag poles and is open to the general public free of charge. The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for 2,000 years and is visible each year from mid-July to peak activity between Aug. 9 and 14. During the peak, the rate of meteors can reach 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky and are particularly visible in the northern hemisphere. On a clear night, they are described as bright and colorful.For more information, visit getintonature.com or call 574-498-6550. Potawatomi Wildlife Park is a free-admission 300+ acre park along the Tippecanoe River south of Bourbon. It is in Marshall County, just over the Kosciusko County border. Coming from the north, the park entrance is located approximately 1/2 mile south of Ind. 10 directly across from 17th Road. Coming from the south, the entrance is approximately 1/2 mile north of the Tippecanoe Bridge on Ind. 331. Recognized as Indiana’s first official dark-sky preserve, the property is a favorite site for amateur astronomers. The park is also open daily from sunrise to sunset for you to walk the trails and observe or study wildlife or learn about the historic features the park preserves.
