Rocky Fork State Park plans two Perseid evenings

Rocky Fork State Park is turning the Perseid peak into a two-night public program in northeast Tennessee next week. The park near Erwin said it will host guided meteor-shower viewing on Aug. 12 and Aug. 13, with Interpretive Ranger Amanda Lank leading the evenings. Tennessee State Parks lists the Aug. 12 program as “Wish Upon A Ridge (Perseids Meteor Shower Edition)” from 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. at Rocky Fork State Park in Flag Pond. ### When are people supposed to show up? Aug. 12 and Aug. 13 are the two nights the park said it plans to use for Perseid viewing near Erwin, according to the local announcement cited in the story brief. Tennessee State Parks’ event page for the Aug. 12 program shows a 9 p.m. start and says attendees will receive coordinates to the exact viewing location after registering. (tnstateparks.com) NASA said the Perseid meteor shower peaks the evening of Aug. 12 into the early morning hours of Aug. 13. NASA also said a New Moon arrives on Aug. 12, leaving skies “ideally dark” for viewing. ### Who is leading the programs, and what will happen there? Amanda Lank is the named event host on Tennessee State Parks’ registration page for the Rocky Fork program. (tnstateparks.com) The page says Lank will lead a “special evening under the stars” from a scenic overlook off Interstate 26 above the mountains around Rocky Fork State Park. (science.nasa.gov) Tennessee State Parks said the program will include help identifying constellations and celestial objects, along with discussion of how dark skies affect wildlife and people. The park’s local announcement, as provided in the story brief, said the two evenings will also include sky talks and viewing tips. ### What should visitors bring? Tennessee State Parks tells attendees to bring a flashlight, with a red-light flashlight recommended, plus a camping chair or blanket, snacks, water, bug spray and any binoculars or telescopes they want to use. (tnstateparks.com) The local announcement in the story brief also encouraged blankets and bug spray for both nights. NASA said viewers should look toward the northeast once it is fully dark and allow 30 minutes for their eyes to adjust. NASA added that meteors can appear across any part of the sky, even though the shower’s radiant is in Perseus. ### Why is Rocky Fork using this spot for a meteor event? Rocky Fork State Park is a remote, roughly 2,200-acre park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Tennessee, according to Tennessee State Parks. (tnstateparks.com) The state park page describes it as a backcountry setting with limited cell service, a detail that underscores how dark and undeveloped the area is. (science.nasa.gov) The Aug. 12 event page says the overlook offers one of East Tennessee’s darkest night skies, with minimal moonlight during the Perseid peak. Tennessee State Parks said those conditions can make the Milky Way, summer constellations and multiple meteors easier to see. ### Where exactly is Rocky Fork State Park? (tnstateparks.com) Rocky Fork State Park lists its address as 501 Rocky Fork Road, Flag Pond, Tennessee 37657. Tennessee State Parks gives the park’s main phone number as 1-888-867-2757, and the event page lists Amanda Lank at 423-271-1233. The park page also warns visitors to prepare for a wilderness setting because of the remote location and limited cell service. (tnstateparks.com) Tennessee State Parks advises visitors to be weather-aware and to familiarize themselves with the park map. ### What happens next if weather changes? Tennessee State Parks says the Aug. 12 program is weather dependent and will be canceled if cloud cover or other conditions prevent night-sky viewing. (tnstateparks.com) The event page also says schedules can change and tells visitors to contact the park or hike leader for updated information. (tnstateparks.com) Aug. 12 is the key date for both the park program and the meteor shower peak. Tennessee State Parks is handling registration for the Rocky Fork event, and NASA’s August skywatching guide points viewers to the night of Aug. 12 into Aug. 13 for the best Perseid viewing. (tnstateparks.com)