Three astronomy events have been planned by the Klamath County Museum over the next three months, including a viewing of the Perseid meteor shower in August, an “earthshine” star party in September, and viewing of the annular eclipse of the sun in October.
All three events are free and open to anyone interested.
A viewing of the Perseid meteor shower will be offered Aug. 11 and 12 at the Fort Klamath Museum on Highway 62. Museum staff and volunteers will be on hand from 6 p.m. to midnight on both dates.
Caitlin Kepple, astronomy instructor at De Anza Community College in Cupertino, Calif., will give a presentation on “The Science of Shooting Stars” at 8:30 p.m. both evenings.
Viewing conditions for this year’s meteor shower will be nearly ideal, since the peak of the event falls on a weekend, and the moon will rise after midnight allowing for very dark skies.
Those planning to attend are asked to arrive before nightfall to find a parking space at the museum. Participants should bring insect repellent, and clothing or blankets to stay warm. Temperatures at Fort Klamath are typically much cooler than in Klamath Falls.
For the best viewing experience, participants should plan to lie on the ground, or sit in a reclining lawn chair.
The earthshine star party will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, on the YMCA soccer field, 1221 South Alameda Ave. That event will focus on how sunlight bouncing off Earth illuminates the dark side of the moon.
Gatherings to view the annular eclipse on Saturday morning, Oct. 14, will be offered in Klamath Falls, Bly, Chiloquin and Gilchrist. Eclipse viewing glasses are available now at the Klamath County Museum.
For more information contact the museum at (541) 882-1000.
