• Are there many interested in astronomy?

    Question

    Do you have a lot of people who are into astronomy? I know there used to be a few folks who went to Perkins Observatory but not that many due to light pollution.

    Naturalist's Response

    We have a lot to offer anyone interested in astronomy!

    At Observatory Park, we have two observatories: the Oberle Observatory and the Nassau Astronomical Station. These are both located at Observatory Park, which is registered by the International Dark-Sky Association as a silver-tier dark sky park. As of my posting today, we host nighttime astronomy programs on the second and fourth Friday and Saturday of each month. We also present a planetarium program on the fourth Sunday of each month, and we hold a full moon hike with moon observation on every full moon. You can see a complete list of our upcoming programs here and even filter them to view only the astronomy programs if you’d like.

    In addition, we have have a terrific partnership with a local amateur astronomy group, the Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society (CVAS). They host monthly meetings (including some at Observatory Park), and also lead a monthly observing session at the Nassau Astronomical Station on the third Saturday of each month.

    If you’d like to learn more about astronomy from home, we partner with the Geauga County Public Library and CVAS to offer the Geauga Skywatchers Club – a series of monthly presentations on astronomy topics (currently held online).  What’s more, you can also borrow a telescope from any Geauga County library branch or the Burton Public Library. (The neighboring Mentor Public Library has also begun a telescope-and-binoculars-lending program. It’s catching on!)

    We hope this information helps you get connected to some of the astronomy resources in the Geauga County area. Have fun learning!

    -Naturalists Denise Wolfe & Chris Mentrek