August 12 – 13, 2023

Wild Under the Stars

Perseid Meteor Shower
Wild Under The Stars Map

With some of the darkest skies in the greater Triangle & Triad area, the Animal Park at the Conservators Center offers superb viewing conditions for astronomical events and phenomena. In the evening of Saturday, August 12, 2023, and into Sunday morning, join us in the tivity Field and Green Space by our Visitors Center to view the Perseid Meteor Shower! You’ll have an unobstructed view of the sky with opportunities to view the entire event throughout the late night and early morning. This time of year also presents excellent viewing opportunities for Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus as well as many other Deep-Sky Objects—like other galaxies, nabulæ, and binary star systems—with your binoculars or telescope! The Moon this year will be late in its waning crescent phase approaching the new moon, at around 10% illumination, with an early moonset on Saturday (6:17pm) and very late moonrise on Sunday morning (3:39am), meaning that the sky will be very dark and meteors should be especially visible under optimal cloud conditions.

What makes this viewing party unique, however, is the company you’ll keep. Our park of over 70 animals features a large population of vocal, social carnivores including lions and wolves, as well as other vocal species like jungle cats, a coyote, and New Guinea singing dogs, who will all keep you enthralled with their chorus of howls, roars, and calls. It’s an experience unlike any other!

We invite you to join us at 6:30 pm for a unique Twilight Tour through the park before the viewing party begins at 11 pm, or skip the tour to set up camp with your tent and telescope at 9 pm! Whichever options you choose, you’ll have an excellent viewing opportunity of this event and the other celestial objects available in the night sky. (Please keep in mind that there is no meal provided as part of this event. Guests who come for the Twilight Tour are encouraged to bring a dinner meal or to plan to pick up a dinner meal in Mebane, NC after the tour and return for the Viewing Party.) The best time to view the meteor shower will be just before sunrise on Sunday morning, so make it an evening of star gazing before bed and then get up early to see the meteor shower!

Please note: The Wild Under the Stars Tour is different from our normal Twilight Tours! This is an abbreviated tour that lasts roughly 45 minutes to an hour and serves to introduce the tour group to the animals in the park and the sounds they make that visitors may hear throughout the night. We do not discuss many science-heavy topics nor animal stories. For these experiences, we encourage visitors to return to the Park for one of our Adventure or Twilight Tours available each weekend.

Please note that Wild Under the Stars dates are subject to local weather and viewing conditions. Cancellations due to weather will be made at least 24 hours in advance of viewing events, please keep an eye on our social media accounts and check your email for details before each event.


 
 

Wild Under the Stars offers a discounted (additional purchase) pre-viewing party tour through the Animal Park for visitors who will be purchasing admission to the starlight viewing party and also, for an additional fee, the opportunity to camp out all night and enjoy the entire meteor shower. All participants will have access to the Visitors Center throughout the event for restroom access.

Pre-registration is required, guests will not be admitted without a ticket.

Viewing party event is contingent on weather conditions, cancellation due to weather will be communicated to ticket holders by email 24 hours in advance if necessary. Guests are responsible for bringing their own telescope, binoculars, or other viewing equipment, The Animal Park will not have extras available for use. Please arrive on time to set up your viewing equipment, our exterior lights will go RED at sunset.

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Event Viewing Opportunity

Lyrid Meteor Shower

The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids get their name from the location of their radiant in the constellation Perseus: the meteors appear to radiate from that point in the sky.Wikipedia

At its peak, the shower is expected to produce a nominal rate of around 150 meteors per hour, assuming perfectly dark viewing conditions.In The Sky However, it is more likely that observers will see between 90 to 130 meteors per hour.

The Perseids are a colorful meteor shower, rich and steady throughout the month, with meteors leaving persistent trails in the sky.EarthSky

Other Viewing Opportunities

Mars

Rise: 09:05, 12 August

Set: 21:35, 13 August

Magnitude: -2.91

Jupiter

Rise: 23:54, 12 August

Set: 13:29, 13 August

Magnitude: -2.2

Saturn

Rise: 20:53, 12 August

Set: 07:49, 13 August

Magnitude: 0.24

Uranus

Rise: 00:16, 13 August

Set: 14:11, 13 August

Magnitude: 5.68

3-Day Clear Sky Forecast

Click on the forecast image above to go to www.ClearDarkSky.com to learn how to read the forecast graphic.

Ticket Options

There are four attendance options to choose from for Wild Under the Stars:

  • Star Party: 11pm – 3:30am, $8
  • Star Party & Tour: 6:50pm – 3:30am, $18
  • Camp-out: 9pm – 8am, $23
  • The Full Experience: 6:30pm – 8am, $30

Choose the option that's best for you and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Animal Park under the stars!

Viewing Accessories

This may be your first astronomical viewing party, or you may be a seasoned veteran, but we have a few suggestions to help you enjoy the night under the stars regardless of your experience level. You may want to bring some, if not all, of the following items with you to the star party:

  • A Camera & Tripod
  • Binoculars
  • A Telescope
  • Folding Chairs
  • Blankets
  • Star Maps
  • A Compass
  • Insect Repellant (seasonally)

Believe it or not, all the photos on this page were taken with simple 30-second exposures at the Animal Park, so a camera is a great, fun way to enjoy a star party. See what you can capture while you watch the sky! Binoculars and telescopes are also a great way to enjoy the evening under the stars for obvious reasons, even if the star party's main event is a meteor shower, it's always fun to get a closer look at planets, nebulæ, stars, the Moon, and other objects in the night sky. Chairs, blankets, and towels are an essential part of any star party viewing experience, as well as something to stay hydrated and snack on. And a star map and compass will help keep yourself oriented and find what you're looking for in the night sky! Dress appropriately for the season and the weather, and come prepared to enjoy the evening.

You are welcome to bring a propane camp grill to cook out on site. Charcoal grills are not allowed. Grills must be manned and maintained at all times.

Please remember the golden rule of any outdoor excursion, "Pack In, Pack Out." Dispose of any trash you generate in the appropriate receptacles at the Visitors Center to help keep our Green Space clean.

Admission & Tour

$18

6pm – 4am

Join us for a pre-viewing party tour through the Animal Park, where you'll learn about our residents. Then, enjoy the viewing party in the Green Space and Activity Field just outside the park next to our Visitors Center.

Camp Out

$23

9pm – 8am

Spend the whole night with us by camping over night! You'll be able to enjoy the entire meteor shower from sun down to sun up.

The Full Experience

$30

6pm – 8am

Get the whole experience by coming for the pre-viewing party tour and camping out overnight to enjoy the full viewing party and the entire meteor shower.

Full Experience Attendees are invited to arrive early to set up their campsite before the tour begins at 6pm.


Please note: The Wild Under the Stars Twilight Tour is different from our traditional Twilight Tours, this is an abbreviated tour that lasts roughly 45 minutes to an hour and serves to introduce the tour group to the animals in the park and the sounds they make that visitors may hear throughout the night. We do not discuss many science-heavy topics nor animal-stories. For these experiences, we encourage visitors to return to the Park for one of our standard Adventure Tours during daylight hours.

COVID-19 Precautions: While the entire Wild Under the Stars event takes place outdoors, out of an over-abundance of caution for our guests, our staff, and our animals, we ask if you have had contact with any person(s) with COVID-19 or suspected of having COVID-19 within 14 days of the event, that you please complete TWO (2) rapid antigen tests 24 hours apart and, if either returns a positive result, consider cancelling your reservation for the safety of others.

Viewing Accessories

This may be your first astronomical viewing party, or you may be a seasoned veteran, but we have a few suggestions to help you enjoy the night under the stars regardless of your experience level. You may want to bring some, if not all, of the following items with you to the star party:

  • A Camera & Tripod
  • Binoculars
  • A Telescope
  • Folding Chairs
  • Blankets
  • Star Maps
  • A Compass
  • Insect Repellant (seasonally)

Believe it or not, all the photos on this page were taken with simple 30-second exposures at the Animal Park, so a camera is a great, fun way to enjoy a star party. See what you can capture while you watch the sky! Binoculars and telescopes are also a great way to enjoy the evening under the stars for obvious reasons, even if the star party's main event is a meteor shower, it's always fun to get a closer look at planets, nebulæ, stars, the Moon, and other objects in the night sky. Chairs, blankets, and towels are an essential part of any star party viewing experience, as well as something to stay hydrated and snack on. And a star map and compass will help keep yourself oriented and find what you're looking for in the night sky! Dress appropriately for the season and the weather, and come prepared to enjoy the evening.

You are welcome to bring a propane camp stove to cook out on site. Charcoal grills are not allowed. Camp stoves must be manned and maintained at all times.

Please remember the golden rule of any outdoor excursion, "Pack In, Pack Out." Dispose of any trash you generate in the appropriate receptacles at the Visitors Center to help keep our Green Space clean.

 

Upcoming Wild Under the Stars Dates

Plan your next Wild Under the Stars experience at the Animal Park at the Conservators Center! This Recurring Event takes place every few months throughout the year focused around special astronomical events. Upcoming dates are listed below. Please pay special attention to this page and the Animal Park newsletter for announcements and updates when reservations open for each event!



2023 Wild Under the Stars Dates:

  • • Lyrid Meteor Shower: 22 April 2023
  • • Perseid Meteor Shower: 12 August 2023
  • • Partial Solar Eclipse: 14 October 2023 – This is a SPECIAL daytime event!
  • • Orionid Meteor Shower: 20 October 2023
  • • Leonid Meteor Shower: 17 November 2023
  • • Geminid Meteor Shower: 13 December 2023

 
 
Important Information

Know Before You Go

More info about your visit to the Animal Park at the Conservators Center.

Accessibility, Safety, and Pets

The Animal Park is not wheelchair accessible; however, accessibility accommodations are available for visitors with mobility issues. Please note that we are not able to allow unauthorized vehicles, including scooters or motorized wheelchairs, in the park. Find more information about disability accommodations and access in the Tour FAQ on our Plan Your Visit page. Please note that children's strollers or wagons also are not permitted in the park.

If you are planning to visit the Animal Park, please take a moment to review and complete our online tour waiver. If you like, you can download and print the waiver and photography release forms to fill out and complete prior to your arrival. Waivers will also be available in the gift shop for visitors to complete during check-in.

For safety reasons, the Animal Park cannot allow visitors to bring pets on site. Any visitor who brings an animal to the Park will be asked to leave immediately. No animals may be left unattended in a vehicle.