Bays Mountain Park Hosting Astronomy Day on May 7th
KINGSPORT – On Saturday, May 7, officials at Bays Mountain Park and the Bays Mountain Astronomy Club (BMAC) will join the rest of the world in celebrating Astronomy Day providing an event jam-packed with free astronomy related programs and activities
Astronomy Day is an international celebration of the science and hobby of astronomy that began in California in 1973 as a grass roots effort designed to bring the joy of astronomy to the general public.‚ The observation of this special day annually brings visitors from across the region to Bays Mountain Park seeking to experience and learn more about astronomy in a new and exciting way; a way that is made more visual and real thanks the $1.3 million renovation of the parks state-of-the-art planetarium.
While we are excited to once again be part of an important, internationally recognized effort in Astronomy Day, we are just as elated to bring such a high quality of astronomical observance to our visitors as supported by our renovated planetarium and complimented by our existing telescopes, said Adam Thanz, Bays Mountain Parks planetarium director.‚ We can share with astronomy enthusiasts of all levels the very experiences astronomers such as Galileo enjoyed 400 years ago, as well as take them on a journey of the rarely seen beauty our night sky holds today.
The day will be filled with free activities and presentations such as learning more about meteorites, learning more about telescopes and how to use them, solar (sun) viewing, a nighttime viewing, and much more.‚ All events are conducted by members of the BMAC, many of whom will be using their own telescopes and other astronomy related equipment in addition to the parks telescopes.‚ Normal charges of $4.00 per person will still apply for the planetarium shows.
One of the events highlights is a program provided by Paul Lewis, director of the University of Tennessee-Knoxvilles Space Science Outreach and who also serves as a Solar System ambassador for NASA.‚ Beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the parks Amphitheater, Lewis program Around the Planets We Go is designed to take a closer look at the current missions orbiting planets in our solar system.‚ In the event of rain, the lecture will be held in the planetarium.‚
Daytime events take place from 12:00 – 4:30 p.m., featuring a variety of astronomical topics. Topics are:
Noon – 4:30 p.m. – Displays (free!), Discovery Theater. See many displays featuring all sorts of astronomical topics.
1:30 p.m.‚ Where Are We? with Brad Dunn (free!): Discovery Theater. Learn all about where we are in the universe. Find your place in space!
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Solar Viewing (free!): Observatory. Thrill at viewing different layers of the sun up close and in great detail. Safely see sunspots and prominences. Weather dependent.
2:30 p.m.‚ Solar System Walk with Robin Byrne (free!): Observatory Grounds (only if not raining). This fun outdoor excursion shows just how large the Solar System really is. Learn about the planets and their diversity with this cool activity for the whole family.
3:30 p.m.‚ Meteorites: Rocks from Space with Gerald Fleenor (free!):‚ Discovery Theater. Learn about these visitors from afar and how we have learned about our Solar System from them. Examples will be shown.
Evening Events take place from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., with a close-up view of the night sky providing the perfect ending for the days celebration.
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.‚ Around the Planets We Go with Paul Lewis (free!):‚ Amphitheater (Planetarium if raining). Let’s take a look at the current missions orbiting planets of our Solar System. Messenger is the latest entry into the quest for knowledge of our planetary partners. We will also visit Venus, Mars, Saturn and
our own Moon.
8:30 – 10:00 p.m.‚ Nighttime Viewing (free!):‚ Observatory. Spectacular views of celestial delights await you. Savor a wonderful view of Saturns rings, be awestruck by the distance to galaxies, and feel like youre flying low over the moon with the Bays Mountain Astronomy Clubs telescopes. These views and more will
be seen at our Observatory. A live presentation about what is up in the night sky will take place in the Planetarium if the weather does not cooperate.
For more information, contact Adam Thanz or Jason Dorfman at 423-229-9447, or visit our website at www.baysmountain.com.
One of the nations largest city-owned parks with 3,550 acres, Bays Mountain Park features 38 miles of hiking trails, wildlife habitats, fun exhibits, a 44-acre lake, trails for mountain biking and much, much more.