Lake Mead Recreational Area is hosting a public astronomy weekend tomorrow (August 10th) through Sunday (August 12th) which sounds very fun.
Fan Nancy Nolette forwarded a new release from the National Park Service that reads:
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is pleased to invite the public to an event filled Astronomy Weekend. Taking place in the Boulder Beach Area from Friday August 10 to Sunday August 12, the weekend highlights the annual Perseid meteor shower and celebrates the beauty and importance of dark and starry skies.
Astronomy Weekend will consist of a variety of sky related events. The weekend begins Friday the 10th with a campground program on nocturnal animals, and continues Saturday and Sunday with daytime sun and moon viewing programs, astronomy talks, night hikes along the Historic Railroad Trail, constellations tours, and telescope viewing opportunities. The weekend culminates Sunday with a Perseid meteor shower night hike and a chance for participating youth to become “Night Explorer Junior Rangers.”
No reservations are required for events.
“The National Park Service is committed to protecting natural darkness as a precious resource, said Superintendent Bill Dickinson. “We encourage park visitors to get out and view the night sky—it’s truly amazing.”
Located between Las Vegas and the vast Colorado Plateau, Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers visitors easy access to dark night skies. The Boulder Basin area of Lake Mead NRA is located approximately 5 miles east of Boulder City, and 20 miles east of Las Vegas.
Please refer to the schedule below for a complete schedule of Astronomy Weekend events or call the Lake Mead Visitor Center at 702-293-8990.
Friday 8/10 6:30 PM to 7:15 PM: Campground Program in Boulder Beach Amphitheater. Learn the myths and mysteries of bats, some of the Mojave Deserts most amazing nighttime creatures.
Saturday 8/11 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Sun Viewing Telescope and Program at Boulder Beach. Life on earth starts with the sun-but have you ever seen it up close? Join Rangers at this table program to view the sun and learn its secrets.
Saturday 8/11 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Moon Viewing Telescope and Program at Lakeview Overlook. We see the moon nearly every day-but have you seen it this close? Join Rangers to view the daytime moon, and learn its myths and secrets.
Saturday 8/11 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM: Talk at Boulder City Library-“The Night Sky and You.” Astronomy, and the study of the sky, influences our day-to-day lives perhaps more than any other science. Join Rangers to learn how the big Astronomical discoveries have helped you!”
Saturday 8/11 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM: Campground Program in Boulder Beach Amphitheater. Owls survive from Alaska to the Amazon. Join Rangers to learn how they survive in one of the hottest and driest places on Earth.
Saturday 8/11 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM: Night Hike on the Historic Railroad Trail. Join Lake Mead Rangers for an easy, 2-mile evening hike on the Railroad Tunnel Trail. Along the way, we will look for nocturnal animals as we watch the day turn to night.
Saturday 8/11 9:30 PM to 10:30 PM: Constellation Tour and Star Party at Railroad Tunnel Trail Parking Lot. Seeing a sky full of stars spread out over Lake Mead is a great way to appreciate the beauty of our National Recreation Area. Join Lake Mead rangers for a short tour of the night sky, and learn the stories behind some of the most popular constellations, and search for meteors. Afterwards, look through our telescopes at some beautiful night sky objects. You will leave with a greater appreciation of Southern Nevada’s beautiful public places.
Sunday 8/11 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Sun Viewing Telescope and Program at Boulder Beach. Life on earth starts with the sun-but have you ever seen it up close? Join Rangers at this table program to view the sun and learn its secrets.
Sunday 8/11 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Moon Viewing Telescope and Program at Lakeview Overlook. We see the moon nearly every day-but have you seen it this close? Join Rangers to view the daytime moon, and learn its myths and secrets.
Sunday 8/11 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM: Talk at Water Safety Center. The Disappearing Night. The Night Sky is one of the most threatened resources in our National Parks. What will we lose if we lose sight of the stars?
Join Lake Mead Rangers’ at the Water Safety Center to learn all about night skies and how we can protect them.Sunday 8/12 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM: Night Hike on the Historic Railroad Trail. Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. Tonight peaks the Perseid Meteor shower, where lucky visitors can expect to see up to 60 shooting stars per hour. Join Lake Mead rangers on an easy, 2 mile walk along the Railroad Tunnel Trail to learn about the night sky and look for meteors.”
