Perseid Meteor from Summer 2001, apod.nasa.gov

The Mars rover Curiosity has landed and is already sending back images and preparing for what is sure to be some fascinating exploration of a far away world. As some Georgia classrooms are back in session this week and others will be in the coming days, we’d love to hear about how you’re using the rover’s discoveries in your classroom. You can find some educational videos and lessons to get you started on Rosemary’s earlier blog.

For a closer-to-home experience, you can watch the Perseids of Summer on August 10-13. This meteor shower is considered by many to be the best because it is bright and fast; there can be as many as 50 meteors per hour. Though most of the Perseids meteors tend to shower in the hours closest to dawn, the moon will be waning and should allow for easy viewing of the meteors closer to midnight.

Stephen C. Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp will have 18” and 8” telescopes available this weekend to watch the meteor showers. With extremely little light pollution, it should be an excellent place to from which to experience the Perseids.