Best Places Near Baltimore To Watch The Geminid Meteor Shower
What is the Geminid meteor shower? If you were looking up at the sky on the nights of Aug. 12, Oct. 21 or Nov. 17 of this year, you would have seen the Perseid, Orionid and Leonid meteor showers. A meteor shower is a dramatic uptick in the number of meteors or shooting stars that streak through the night sky. The next meteor shower is the Geminid meteor shower. Peaking between Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, 2015, the Geminid meteor shower will display the waxing crescent moon to Baltimore stargazers. Great places to view the Geminid meteor shower in the Baltimore area include: the Howard County Conservancy, Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, Kings Landing Park and the Inner Harbor.
Howard County Conservancy
10520 Old Frederick Road
Woodstock, MD 21163
(410) 465-8877
hcconservancy.org
Coming up on Dec. 13, Baltimore-area stargazers and astronomy buffs can observe the Geminid meteor shower. Known as the "king of the meteor showers, the Geminid is "considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens." The Geminids meteor shower program, free to the public, will be held on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Founded over 25 years ago, the Howard County Conservancy is a local, nonprofit environmental education center and land trust. A group of local citizens founded the Howard County Conservancy in 1990 with the mission to educate children and adults about the natural world, preserve the land and its legacy and model responsible stewardship of the environment. Located on an expansive 232 acres, the Howard County Conservancy is "ideally suited for nature study and exploration."
Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area
5100 Deer Park Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117
(410) 922-3044
dnr2.maryland.gov
On the evening of Dec. 13 and the early morning of Dec. 14, 2015, come see the Geminid meteor shower at Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area in Owings Mills, Maryland. Arguably the best meteor shower, The Geminid shower will likely produce "up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak." Comprising of 1,900 acres of serpentine barren, the Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area has plenty of perfect options to take in the show. The visitors center at the Soldiers Delight Natural Environmental Area has exhibits on the area's history and culture to check out while you wait for the meteor shower to begin. The visitors center is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Please call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Related: Best Scenic Drives Near Baltimore
Kings Landing Park
3255 Kings Landing Road
Huntingtown, MD 20639
(410) 535-5327
calvertparks.org
Located in Calvert County, Maryland, Kings Landing Park is another location for viewing the Geminid meteor shower. Bring a blanket or a reclining lounge chair to see "one of the best meteor showers of the year." Reservations are required so call ahead to reserve your spot. The program, free for Calvert Nature Society members, is $8 per family for nonmembers. Kings Landing Park has a variety of amenities including a fishing pier, kayak/canoe launch, boardwalk, nature study, bird watching and equestrian ring and trails. The Calvert Nature Society, formerly known as the Battle Creek Nature Education Society, is "dedicated to the protection and preservation of Calvert County's natural heritage and the creation of an environmentally literate and aware community."
Maryland Science Center At The Inner Harbor
601 Light St.
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 685-2370
www.mdsci.org
Though the Maryland Science Center is closed at the time of the Geminid meteor shower sighting, star gazers can view the meteor shower from the deck of the Inner Harbor, located just outside of the Maryland Science Center at the intersection of Light and Pratt Streets in Baltimore. The Inner Harbor is a must-see tourist attraction featuring the Maryland Science Center, National Aquarium, Top of the World, Harborplace Amphitheater, U.S.S. Constellation and the Harborplace shops and restaurants.
Jill Berry @MusingsfromMe is a writer who stays at home or a SAHM who writesit depends on the day and her mood. While playing a writer on the internet, Jill has the gray hair AND blogposts from raising a kid, a preteen, and a teen. When not blogging at Musings from Me, Jill seizes family time whenever she candinner as a family, movie night, marathon family game sessions, travelingyou name it she wants to do it.
