CRAWFORD COUNTY, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The Crawford Park Astronomy Club is inviting all astronomy enthusiasts and curious minds to a special event, “Viewing the Night Sky,” on Saturday, January 27 at 6:30pm at Lowe-Volk Park, located 3 miles north of US Route 30.
The club members will share their knowledge and telescope skills with attendees, providing a unique opportunity to observe celestial sights that are prominent during the winter season.
Celestial Bodies to Observe
Saturn, known for its beautiful rings, is a staggering 1 billion miles away. It boasts 146 moons, with Titan being its largest.
Jupiter, distinguished by its unique cloud bands, is situated half a billion miles away and has 4 main large moons out of a total of 95.
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31), our nearest major galactic neighbor, is a barred spiral galaxy. Observing this local galaxy is a real treat for astronomy lovers.
The Orion Nebula (M42), a birthplace of baby stars, is only 1,500 light-years away and has an apparent magnitude of 4.
The North Star, also known as Polaris, is one of the easiest stars to locate and is the tail in the constellation of Ursa Minor/Little Bear.
The Big Dipper, part of the constellation Ursa Major/Great Bear, is an asterism of 7 bright stars, and the top of the ladle points to the North Star.
The Seven Sisters, also known as Pleiades, is a local open cluster of young stars, and is only 444 light-years away.
Homeschool in Nature: Nature Knowledge
In addition to the night sky viewing, the Crawford Park District is hosting a “Homeschool in Nature: Nature Knowledge” event on Thursday, February 1 at 10am and 2pm. Homeschoolers will compete to see which team has the most nature knowledge. The winning team will get to lead the hike! Parents can register their 5–12-year-old by calling the Crawford Park District at 419-683-9000.
For more information on these and other programs offered by the Crawford Park District, visit their website at crawfordpd.org or follow them on Facebook.