For casual visitors, Observatory Park is open daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (through Memorial Day, then till 1 a.m. through Labor Day) at 10610 Clay Street in Montville Township.
For those wanting a more guided experience, however, Naturalist “Astro-Nat” Chris Mentrek is eager to show you around this International Dark Sky Park.
Park buildings are open the second and fourth weekends of each month: Friday and Saturday for self-guided night sky viewing with Park District telescopes from 6 to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. with The Sky Tonight Planetarium Show at 2 p.m. to show you “what’s up” in the night sky.
Planetarium shows this fall are on Oct. 11 and 25, Nov. 15 and 29, and Dec. 13 and 27. Astronomy programming is also available for visitors of all ages and interests.
Visit the park anytime during the Geminid Meteor Shower for what should be a spectacular show beginning Saturday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., and lasting until Sunday at 5 a.m., complete with a cocoa break in the warmth and comfort of the McCullough Science Building.
Biweekly Friday programs include Tour the Nassau Astronomical Observing Station (a “sneak peek” tour of the restoration efforts to re-open the Nassau Station) on Oct. 9 and 23 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Meet the Meteorites(using hands-on tests to see if a rock is a meteorite or a “meteor-wrong”) on Nov. 13 and 27 from 7 to 8 p.m.; and CoCoRaHS Network Training (short for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network, to monitor snowfall, rain and other precipitation in your yard, then share measurements online) on Dec. 11 from 7 to 8 p.m.
Special programs to study the season’s full moons through park telescopes are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (The Hunter’s Moon); Wednesday, Nov. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. (The Beaver Moon); and Saturday, Dec. 26, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (The Cold Moon).
Plus, all ages should plan to swing by Observatory Park Funday on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. for more fun weather- and astronomy-related activities!
All Observatory Park programs this season are free to attend without registration and wheelchair/stroller accessible.
Learn more about the park , and for details on other park programs this summer, go here and click Find a Program/Event.
This article is brought to you by Geauga Park District
