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The Biggest Astronomy Event in Southeast Texas! |
Astronomy Day 2013 will be held Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the George Observatory, satellite facility of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located in Brazos Bend State Park, one hour southwest of Houston.
The annual Astronomy Day event offers numerous activities for adults and kids of all ages:
- Indoor and Outdoor Presentations starting at 4:00 p.m.
- Challenger Center Flight Simulations
- Safe Solar Observing of Sunspots and Prominences
- Domed Telescopes and Amateur Telescopes to View the Night Skies
- Face Painting and Astronomy Buttons for the Kids
- Advice on How to Get Started in Astronomy
- How to Purchase and Use Telescopes
- Free Material on Astronomy and Deep Space
- Meet Amateur Astronomers from Local Astronomy Clubs
- Indoor Displays
There is plenty to see and do at the George Observatory in the daytime, but the observatory really comes to life at night! Observe the Moon and deep sky objects, enjoy professional research telescope viewing through 18", 14" and 11" telescopes. There will also be numerous telescopes of all types and sizes on the observing deck. Children and adults alike will marvel at the craters on the Moon, and deep sky objects such as planetary nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and the planet Jupiter. Free tickets for the Research Dome will be given out starting at 3:00 p.m. One ticket will be given per person, until all tickets are gone. Visitor capacity is limited in the Research Dome, so come early to claim your free tickets. The 36" Gueymard Research Telescope is down for repairs and will not be available for observing during Astronomy Day 2013. The piggy-backed 11" refractor will be operational and gives spectacular views of planets, nebulae and other deep sky objects. Only the Research Dome requires a (free) ticket, all other telescopes will be available for viewing without tickets.
Astronomy Day 2013 at The George Observatory/HMNS is made possible by the combined efforts of numerous astronomy clubs and organizations in the area, including the Fort Bend Astronomy Club, Houston Astronomical Society, Astronomical Society of South East Texas, Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society, North Houston Astronomy Club, Huntsville Amateur Astronomy Society, George Observatory/Houston Museum of Natural Science, Insperity Observatory at Humble ISD, Houston Community College, NASA Johnson Space Center, The Lunar & Planetary Institute, NASA's Night Sky Network, Land Sea & Sky, and many others.
The Astronomy Day event is free to the public. Admission to Brazos Bend State Park (where the George Observatory is located) is $7.00 per person, with free admission into the park for kids under 12.
For more information on Brazos Bend State Park, driving directions, camping, facilities, etc., please call (979) 553-5101 or visit: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/brazos_bend/
We look forward to seeing you at George Observatory's Astronomy Day 2013 event on October 12!
