Star Party on the Kern River

Want to plan your own star party to view the Perseid meteor showers? Plan your star party with the aid of our Kern River Valley dark skies! One of the biggest, annual meteor showers occurs in mid-July through August and another occurs October through early-November. Read on for viewing tips, dark sky intel and camp site information for you and your group!

Viewing a meteor shower is most satisfying in a dark sky location, as far from urban light pollution as possible, such as in a rural Campground.

According to the experts at Griffith Observatory, the best way to watch a meteor shower is to travel to a wilderness area or campground that has a dark sky. It’s best to choose a night when the Moon is not visible during the shower. Most meteor showers are strongest after midnight and until dawn.

Pro Tip: Dress warmly and lie back on a deck or lounge chair, so that you are looking up at the sky. Don’t look at bright lights like flashlights or cell phone displays which can desensitize your eyes for ten minutes or more. See more meteor watching tips here.

Star Party | Friday, August 8, 2024 Telescope Viewing Time: 9:00-11:00pm You are Invited! Hosted by Kern River's Edge Campground in collaboration with the Kern River Valley Astronomy Club, join us on Friday, August 8, 2024 between 9-11pm. Camping guests should meet at our Volleyball Court area for our very own star party. Bring your chair, headlamp, blanket and be prepared to be star-struck!

Perseids | July 14 – September 1 Peak Night: August 12th before dawn on August 13th

Our Kern River dark skies will also be featuring the Perseids meteor showers between July and September this year. According to space.com though the moon will be 50% illuminated at the time of the Perseids' peak, it will set around midnight, so there will be dark skies until dawn — perfect for meteor hunting!

The Perseids are caused by Earth passing through debris — bits of ice and rock — left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle which last passed close to Earth in 1992. The Perseids peak when Earth passes through the densest and dustiest area on Aug. 11-12. Years without moonlight see higher rates of meteors per hour, and in outburst years (such as in 2016) the rate can be between 150-200 meteors an hour.

Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear in the sky. Perseid meteors are produced by particles shed by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. They hit our atmosphere at 37 miles (59 kilometers) per second.

Orionids | September 22 to November 22

Peak Time: Morning of October 20th

Often featuring some of the brightest and fastest streaking stars, the Orionids appear in mid-September and reach their peak in the hours before dawn on October 20. This year, they occur alongside a first quarter crescent Moon, so after midnight observers should have dark skies!

The Orionid meteor shower is active from September 22 to November 22. The Orionids peak on the morning of the 20th. The rate will be about 19 meteors per hour. Orionids are particles shed by comet 1P/Halley, and they hit our atmosphere at 41 miles (66 kilometers) per second. The meteors appear to stream from the area of the upraised club in the constellation Orion the Hunter.

Care-for-It

Recreating responsibly includes packing trash bags to leave our wild spaces cleaner than you found them. There is a glass ban in the Sequoia National Forest, so remember to use plastic storage containers, ziploc bags, or bota bags for camping gear and kitchen supplies instead.

Ready to go stargazing on the Kern River?

Then let’s go! At Kern River’s Edge, you’ll find spacious campsites, concierge firewood & ice deliveries, and the best viewing spots on the Kern River. With over 40 camping sites to choose from and easy access to all types of activities — including stargazing —, there’s something for everyone at the River’s Edge campsite.