3 New Dark Sky Preserves for Meteor Gazing in Michigan

LANSING, MI – Michigan has three more dark sky preserves — the perfect places to watch meteor showers and other celestial events — under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Rick Snyder.

The new dark sky preserves, all located on state-owned land on the northeast corner of the Lower Peninsula, are Rockport State Recreation Area in Presque Isle and Alpena counties, Negwegon State Park in Alpena and Alcona counties, and Thompson’s Harbor State Park in Presque Isle County, the Associated Press reports.

SEE ALSO

• Complete 2016 Meteor Shower and Stargazing Guide

Already existing dark sky preserves are in Wilderness State Park in Emmet County, Lake Hudson Recreation Area in Lenawee County and portions of Port Crescent State Park in Huron County.

Your next chance to see meteors is several weeks away with the Lyrids, which peak April 21-22.

It could be a bust, though, with a full moon rising about the same time as the peak of the Lyrids. It’s too bad, because although the Lyrids don’t produce a lot of meteors — typically, around 10 to 15 on a moonless night — they are known for uncommon, difficult-to-predict surges that can sometimes bring up to 100 meteors per hour.

Another aspect that makes this shower a crowd-pleaser is that the Lyrids tend to be bright and often leave trails, which may be enough to overcome the drenching moonlight during the peak, April 22.