Campers at Sleeping Bear Dunes will have the best seat in the house for the stellar Perseid meteor shower Saturday (August 12) night through early Sunday (August 13) morning. Named after the constellation Perseus, the annual celestial event began in late July and will continue through late August. Bob Moler of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society (GTAS) says stargazers can expect up to 60 meteors an hour during its peak this weekend which will appear especially bright thanks to a barely illuminated waning crescent moon over Lake Michigan.

For those who can’t catch this year’s peak, grab a flashlight and join GTAS and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for their Star Party on Saturday, August 19 from 5 pm - 11 pm at the Dune Climb. The first half of the evening will include family-friendly activities highlighting nocturnal animals and constellations, plus a self-guided solar system walk. Once the sun sets, solar viewing scopes and telescopes will be provided for viewing the tail-end of the Perseids along with other cosmic wonders including the Milky Way galaxy.

For more information on the Star Party and other night sky programs at Sleeping Bear Dunes, visit their site here.