Join us at the Heide Observatory for our 4th year of Space Camp—and for the first time ever, we’re offering a daytime camp experience designed especially for younger explorers!
Join us at the Heide Observatory for the Lyrid Lightshow, a classic spring meteor shower known for fast-moving meteors and the occasional bright fireball. The Lyrids originate from debris left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), which Earth passes through each April as it orbits the Sun. While the Lyrids do not produce the high hourly rates of some summer meteor showers, they reward patient observers with quick, sharp streaks that can appear anywhere across the sky, often flashing suddenly rather than leaving long trails.
Tickets include the use of our anti-gravity chairs, allowing guests to relax comfortably while observing. For best viewing, guests are encouraged to face away from artificial lights, allow their eyes time to adjust to the darkness, and scan large areas of the sky rather than focusing on a single point. Observatory staff will share tips on where to look, explain why meteor activity can vary throughout the night, and discuss how comet debris creates these fleeting streaks of light.
Meteors are unpredictable by nature, and viewing success depends on sky darkness and atmospheric conditions, but even a handful of sightings can make for a memorable experience under the stars.
🔔 Important Event Information — Evening Event (Spring/Fall Seasons)Weather-Dependent Event: This program requires clear skies. If cloud cover greater than 40% is forecast, the event will be canceled or rescheduled. Notification will be sent by email no later than 24 hours before the scheduled start time.
Email Communication Is Critical: All event updates, including weather cancellations or schedule changes, are sent to the email address used at ticket checkout. Please ensure your email is entered correctly and check spam or promotions folders. If tickets were purchased using an email you do not regularly monitor, you may miss important updates.
Comfort Reminder: This is an outdoor observing event, and guests are encouraged to bring a blanket and/or warm clothing for comfort during viewing. Questions? Contact us at observatory@hawthornhollow.org.
Join us at the Heide Observatory for the Lyrid Lightshow, a classic spring meteor shower known for fast-moving meteors and the occasional bright fireball. The Lyrids originate from debris left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), which Earth passes through each April as it orbits the Sun. While the Lyrids do not produce the high hourly rates of some summer meteor showers, they reward patient observers with quick, sharp streaks that can appear anywhere across the sky, often flashing suddenly rather than leaving long trails.
Tickets include the use of our anti-gravity chairs, allowing guests to relax comfortably while observing. For best viewing, guests are encouraged to face away from artificial lights, allow their eyes time to adjust to the darkness, and scan large areas of the sky rather than focusing on a single point. Observatory staff will share tips on where to look, explain why meteor activity can vary throughout the night, and discuss how comet debris creates these fleeting streaks of light.
Meteors are unpredictable by nature, and viewing success depends on sky darkness and atmospheric conditions, but even a handful of sightings can make for a memorable experience under the stars.
🔔 Important Event Information — Evening Event (Spring/Fall Seasons)Weather-Dependent Event: This program requires clear skies. If cloud cover greater than 40% is forecast, the event will be canceled or rescheduled. Notification will be sent by email no later than 24 hours before the scheduled start time.
Email Communication Is Critical: All event updates, including weather cancellations or schedule changes, are sent to the email address used at ticket checkout. Please ensure your email is entered correctly and check spam or promotions folders. If tickets were purchased using an email you do not regularly monitor, you may miss important updates.
Comfort Reminder: This is an outdoor observing event, and guests are encouraged to bring a blanket and/or warm clothing for comfort during viewing. Questions? Contact us at observatory@hawthornhollow.org.
Join us at the Heide Observatory for a Comet Watch as we observe Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS), a distant icy visitor from the outer solar system making a rare pass through the inner night sky. During this guided observing session, guests will learn what comets are made of, where they come from, and why their brightness and visibility can change rapidly from night to night.
To maximize our viewing opportunity, we will take a short guided walk to the upper prairie, where we will watch for the comet low in the western sky shortly after sunset as it sets. This portion of the event will focus on naked-eye and binocular-style observing, as the comet’s low altitude and wide field make it better suited to broad sky viewing rather than high-magnification telescope use. Binoculars will be available to help improve our chances of spotting the comet, and we will guide guests on exactly where to look along the horizon.
After the comet sets, guests will return to the observatory for views through our 17-inch telescope, exploring some of the best deep-sky objects visible that evening and enjoying a guided tour of the stars overhead.
Because comets are dynamic and unpredictable, the exact appearance of C/2025 R3 may evolve leading up to the event, making each viewing a unique snapshot in time of an object billions of years old.
🔔 Important Event Information — Evening Event (Spring/Fall Seasons)
Weather-Dependent Event: This program requires clear skies. If cloud cover greater than 40% is forecast, the event will be canceled or rescheduled. Notification will be sent by email no later than 24 hours before the scheduled start time.
Email Communication Is Critical: All event updates, including weather cancellations or schedule changes are sent to the email address used at ticket checkout. Please ensure your email is entered correctly and check spam or promotions folders. If tickets were purchased using an email you do not regularly monitor, you may miss important updates.
Comfort Reminder: This is an outdoor observing event, and guests are encouraged to bring a blanket and/or warm clothing for comfort during viewing.
Rise and shine, the planets are putting on a show! 🌌 Join us at The Heide Observatory at Hawthorn Hollow for a one-of-a-kind pre-dawn cosmic adventure. August mornings bring the perfect window to catch planets rising just before sunrise, and we’ll be watching for Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune—and maybe even a surprise appearance by Mercury!
After planet-gazing, we’ll welcome the sunrise with a hot pancake and sausage breakfast (yes, coffee and juice too!) while enjoying the peaceful early-morning magic of Hawthorn Hollow. The pancake photo may be a space-level exaggeration, but we promise they’ll still be delicious. 🥞☕
🌤 Weather Watch: This event is weather-dependent and will be rescheduled if cloud cover exceeds 40%. If that happens, the backup date is the very next morning, at 3:00 AM. Because it’s an early start, please check the email used to purchase tickets before heading out.
👕 What to Wear: Dress for nighttime outdoor conditions, it can be cool before sunrise!
🎟 Tickets are limited, so don’t sleep on this (even though it’s early). Reserve your spot today and join us for planets, pancakes, and an unforgettable start to the day.
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky between July and August.
In 2025 the Perseid meteor shower is active between 17 July and 24 August. The shower will peak 12-13 August.
The Perseid (Per-see-id) meteor shower is one of the highlights of many meteor hunters’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors, caused by the Earth slamming into the debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle in July and August every year.
It is called the Perseid because the meteors seem to originate from the constellation of Perseus. Astronomers call this point the meteor shower’s radiant.
Reserve your tickets for The Heide Observatory Perseid Meteor shower event and enjoy a relaxing display of the meteors as you lay back in our zero gravity chairs. Tickets for this event go fast so reserve yours today.
Watch for an email confirmation with the address used for purchase tickets a few days prior to the event and a updated weather confirmation at least 24 hours prior to the reservation time. In the event of poor weather conditions the back-up night will be Wednesday August 13, times yet to be determined. Please feel free to email us at Observatory@hawthornhollow.org.
