The Bays Mountain Astronomy Club and Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium are excited to announce registration is now open for its 41st annual StarFest convention happening November 6-8.
For more than four decades, StarFest has been a gathering place for amateur and professional astronomers, hobbyists and families who enjoy the science and wonder of the night sky.
This year’s theme is “Back to the Moon…to stay!” and the convention will feature speakers who are contributing to humanity’s efforts to explore the Moon and expand our knowledge of Earth’s nearest neighbor.
The three-day event will also include plenty of free time for guests to explore Bays Mountain Park, enjoy the camaraderie of fellow StarFest attendees and take part in astronomy-related activities.
“The Bays Mountain Astronomy Club is excited to host another fantastic StarFest event especially since NASA’s Artemis program is on the verge of returning humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years,” said StarFest and Astronomy Club Chairman Greg Penner. “This year we’ll hear from a planetary scientist, NASA engineers and a NASA astronaut. These speakers will share with us how we’re going to the Moon and what we expect to learn by establishing a more permanent lunar presence.”
This year’s keynote speakers include:
- Kent Criswell – Lead systems engineer and Blue Origin integrator for NASA’s Human Landing System Program at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
- Sarah Elizabeth McCandless – A navigation engineer in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- Molly McCanta – The Gerald Sisk Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
A special speaker from NASA will be announced soon!
Registration includes attendance to all of the event’s speakers and activities, five fabulous meals, door prizes, telescope viewing and a commemorative T-shirt. Registration with payment must be received by October 9.
For all the details and to register, please visit https://bit.ly/4gzjxmv. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “starfest” in the search bar.
This event is hosted by the Bays Mountain Astronomy Club and the Bays Mountain Park Association.
For more information, please visit www.baysmountain.com.
