WAYNESVILLE: Caesar Creek State Park and the Miami Valley Astronomical Society are offering one of the region’s best for venues for viewing shooting stars on August 8, 2009, during the annual Perseid meteor shower.

Beginning at 7:00 PM, Caesar Creek will host a meteor shower program at the main state park beach. The Miami Valley Astronomical Society will provide an educational program on outer space, featuring galaxies, planets, stars, moons and Black Holes. 

The Astronomical Society will also have telescopes and other equipment on hand for park visitors to view stars and planets. Park naturalists, accompanied by certified volunteer naturalists, will help keep stargazers entertained until the meteors appear with family oriented games, crafts, and a night hike. All activities are free of charge.

For the night of August 8 only, Caesar Creek State Park visitors participating in the meteor shower program may camp at the beach area free of charge. Campers must register by calling 513-897-2437 in advance, or they can register in person the day of the event at the main beach shelter house. Tents may be pitched on the beach lawn, and recreational vehicles and trailers may be parked on the beach parking lot for the event.

The Perseid shower is typically one of the year’s most active, producing as many as 60 meteors per hour at its peak, which will occur on August 12 this year. The majority of the shooting stars will appear in the northeast sky, in the constellation Perseus. 

The best viewing is when the sky is darkest, before the moon rises after midnight, and in the early morning hours before dawn. Binoculars and telescopes are not necessary to view the meteors, which are expected to continue through August 22.

Caesar Creek State Park is located at 8570 East State Route 73, Waynesville, Ohio. For more information about the program and the park, see www.caesarcreekstatepark.com.