BY RICHELLE THOMPSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
CAESAR CREEK -- Park ranger Mike Woeste won't be working tonight, but he plans to be at the park.
Along with 300 to 500 expected visitors, Mr. Woeste will set his sights upward.
The visitors will be participating in the 12th annual Meteor Shower Campout and viewing the dust trail of comet Swift-Tuttle. It takes about five weeks for the earth to pass through the dust trail. On the thickest days -- Aug. 10-14 -- 50 to 100 shooting stars an hour are visible.
The state park has activities from 7 p.m. to midnight, including:
Astro-crafts: Kids can make luminaries, comet windsocks, man-in-the-moon masks and glow-in-the-dark constellation maps.
Wings of the Night: Betty Ross, director of the Glen Helen Raptor Center at Antioch University, Yellow Springs, plans to bring several owls and discuss the habits of these nighttime creatures.
Telescope viewing: The Miami Valley Astronomical Society is expected to bring about a dozen telescopes.
Camping: About half the visitors generally camp at the park after the meteor shower, Caesar Creek naturalist Carol Fassig said.
The meteor shower will be visible throughout the Tristate, Mrs. Fassig said. But Caesar Creek, in northeastern Warren County off of Ohio 73, has little light pollution and an open area of 20 to 30 acres to view the sky.
Visitors should bring lawn chairs or blankets, flashlights, bug repellent, sleeping bags, binoculars and snacks.
Information: 513- 897-2437.
