Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing

The public is invited to experience the peak of the Perseid meteor shower at the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site, Cooperstown, during “Missile Site Lights.” This free, three-hour viewing event begins at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and continues until 1 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13.

Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy the night sky as site lighting is turned off for optimal viewing. Special guests include Patrick Sommer, DarkSky International’s North Dakota delegate, who will present on light pollution at 10 p.m., followed by Valley City State University Planetarium Director Wes Anderson, who will explain the science behind meteor showers and guide stargazers through the night sky.

Before satellite navigation, early missile targeting relied on celestial alignment. The dark sky conditions of the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site make it an ideal location for this annual spectacle.

For more information, contact Site Supervisor Rob Branting, 701.797.3691 or [email protected]. The Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site is managed by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Summer hours are daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Sept. 7. Find additional programs sponsored by the State Historical Society of North Dakota at history.nd.gov/events.