A grant from Eastern National has enabled the staff at Obed Wild and Scenic River in Tennessee to expand its night sky programs.
Starry night skies are an important part of the special places the National Park Service protects. With the extent of urbanization in the United States, it is becoming exceedingly difficult to experience the night with little impact from artificial light pollution. At Obed, visitors can still enjoy the splendor of the Milky Way and see a night sky strewn with thousands of stars with only the naked eye.
As part of the park’s Dark Sky Initiative, Obed offers programs to provide visitors an in-depth look into the night sky while promoting its importance as a global resource. Earlier this year, Obed Wild and Scenic River received a competitive grant from Eastern National to enhance the park’s dark sky and astronomy programs. The grant enabled the park to purchase a Dobsonian reflector telescope with a 12-inch parabolic primary mirror, complemented with specialized eyepieces. The telescope was available during a debut appearance at Lilly Overlook to view the November supermoon, where visitors were awestruck by the crisp, clear, detailed views of the cratered lunar surface.
The grant was also used to offer a new youth-focused night sky activity: the National Park Service’s Junior Ranger Night Explorer program, an activity guide for youth ages 5-12 to encourage young visitors to explore the “dark side” of their park. Completion of the activity book, ideally during a night sky program, is rewarded with a unique patch.
Founded in 1947, Eastern National supports the interpretive, educational, and scientific programs and services of the National Park Service and other public trust partners. For more information about Obed’s night sky and astronomy programming, contact the park at 423-346-6294.
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