When you think starry skies, New Jersey may not be the first state that comes to mind. While it's true that we're smack dab in the center of light pollution from New York City and Philadelphia, we can still enjoy some pretty impressive shows. One of those shows is the upcoming Perseid Meteor shower! There are plenty of places to catch a glimpse in the Garden State.

All about the Perseids...

The Perseid Meteor Shower will be on display between July 17th-August 24th, peaking on August 12/13. During this time, up to 100 meteors per hour will be visible under dark skies. Associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle, meteors can be seen throughout the night but are most frequent/more visible in the hours before dawn.We can expect a fantastic show this year as the moon will only be 3% illuminated, providing a darker canvas on which the meteors will shine (and shoot through the sky)! Compare that to the nearly full moon during the comparable Quadrantids Meteor Shower (up to 120 meteors per hour) and you can see that we're really in for a treat.

Where to watch in New Jersey...

Sussex and Cumberland Counties have some of the darkest skies in the state overall but there are select locations throughout New Jersey that are designated as "Dark Sky Sites." These locations are: Voorhees State Park in High Bridge, Jenny Jump State Forest in Hope, and Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine. All three parks offer overnight camping and both Voorhees and Jenny Jump are home to observatories. The 26-inch Cassegrain reflector at The Paul Robinson Observatory (in Voorhees State Park) is the largest working telescope accessible to the public in New Jersey. The observatory is open on Saturday nights from 8:30-10:30 and for special programs. The United Astronomy Clubs of New Jersey, Inc. has an observatory (Greenwood Observatory) at Jenny Jump; it will also be open on Saturday nights (from 8-10) for programs and observation. On August 11th, they will be hosting a special program on meteor showers. While Belleplain State Forest does not have an observatory, the South Jersey Astronomy Club hosts public skywatches on the recreation field - telescopes will be set up. The next public skywatch will start at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 12th (peak shower dates!).

You can also check your local observatory for programming. New Jersey observatories include the John W. H. Simpson Observatory in Titusville and William D. McDowell Observatory in Lyndhurst, among others. While the photos above were taken during the Geminid and Orionid Showers respectively, you can expect an incredible display during the Perseids.