Meteor Showers Will Enhance Spring Stargazing in Hellertown

When I was a college student living in North Carolina, stargazing was appealing for its vibes rather than for its views. Due to the campus’s proximity to the city lights of Charlotte, meteor showers, supermoons and constellations were either dimmed or made totally invisible. “Watching meteor showers” normally meant eating snacks on the soccer fields for 20 minutes until you finally saw a shooting star…and then realized it was a plane. When I moved back to Hellertown for graduate school, the area’s undiminished starlight was something I never again took for granted. In April, the Lyrids meteor shower will take place, marking the start of astronomical activity in the northern hemisphere…and Hellertown is the perfect place to view it all.

To observe the moon, you might want some special equipment. While it’s easy enough to view the moon with just the naked eye, a whole new perspective on the moon can be gained with the aid of the Hellertown Area Library’s telescopes. The Hellertown library offers two telescopes, one designed to stand on a small surface (for example, a picnic table) and one with a stronger lens that comes with a tripod, allowing more options for placement of the telescope. During a recent period in which six planets were said to be visible, I used the tripod telescope to see the planets up close. Don’t be discouraged by the challenge of adjusting the focus of the telescope; it’s more than rewarding. I was able to see the full curve of the moon and shadows cast in its ice-cream-scoop craters, all from the porch of my apartment on Main Street! Hellertown is far enough from any major metropolitan area to avoid serious interference from light pollution.

Since meteors are small and visible for only a few seconds, you are better off stargazing with your own two eyes rather than a telescope. When the Lyrids come to Hellertown, you’ll need some snacks and a comfy place with a good view of the sky. Cocoa and tea complement stargazing in colder months, but for April’s meteor showers you are better off stocking up on some sweet treats at Giant. Purchase some Moon pies to munch on while waiting for the sky to darken, and grab a bag of Starbursts to increase your chances of seeing a shooting star. Anywhere in Hellertown has good visibility of the stars, but to avoid bright lights, bring a couple Milky Ways and a blanket to the slopes beside Dimmick Park’s baseball fields. Unlike other meteor showers, the Lyrids are visible in every part of the sky, so it does not matter which way you are facing or which slope you choose. Just be sure to give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the dark. The best time for viewing the Lyrids is between midnight and dawn, but they’re a highly active meteor shower that produces shooting stars beginning as early as 8:30 p.m. April begins and ends with opportunities to peek through the telescope or do a bit of stargazing. April 2 will be the peak of the month’s full pink moon, whose light may appear roseate or golden, and which will be most clearly visible in the evening, rather than at night. It will be perfect for viewing through one of the Hellertown library’s telescopes. The Lyrid meteors start falling on April 15, but they will be most active on April 21 and 22. During their peak, the Lyrids produce 15-20 shooting stars an hour! Be sure to get “focused” and see all the sky has to offer!