Great Smoky Mountains Purchase Knob Stargazing Event
Great Smoky Mountains Purchase Knob stargazing event. Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a stargazing event at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center beginning at 7:00 pm on Friday, October 5, 2018. Located on beautiful Purchase Knob, the learning center provides one of the best views of the sky in the Smokies and Haywood County, NC.
The Astronomy Club of Asheville will lead an exploration of the night sky at this high elevation site with a 260-degree unobstructed view of the sky. The club will provide a variety of telescopes for the participants to use. If skies are clear, visitors can expect to see the Milky Way Galaxy high overhead that night, along with the planets Saturn and Mars, the Andromeda Galaxy, and many striking star clusters. This is a great opportunity for families to explore the universe without leaving terra firma.
“National Park areas often offer a wonderful opportunity to stargaze,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “Parks across the country monitor and manage for natural night sky conditions in much the same way as we do to protect our air and water. Visitors are often amazed at the number of stars that can be seen simply by entering into the natural darkness of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”
