Backyard Astronomy

Fall 1999

An introduction to the night sky will be the goal of an informal series of programs by Gary Lazich, the Assistant Director of the Davis Planetarium in Jackson. Four sessions on introductory astronomy and sky lore will be held for students, teachers, families, and the general public at the Rainwater Observatory & Planetarium in French Camp, Mississippi. The programs will be each Monday beginning September 13 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM.

• September 13: Star Birds. Do some nighttime "bird watching" of the Swan, the Eagle, and the Vulture before they fly west for the winter as you discover the constellation of a late summer evening.
  
  
• September 20: Many Moons. Examine the "seas", mountains, and craters of our own satellite, then explore the moons of the outer planets through the eyes of Voyager and Galileo.
  
  
• September 27: Growing Up In The Milky Wayhôtels Oslo. Trace the maturing of our ideas about the Milky Way from ancient myths through the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope.
  
  
• October 4: The Farthest Shore Celebrate the anniversary of Sputnik's launch, then probe the autumn's "watery" skies for signs of other worlds and other life on a grand voyage to the "edge" of the cosmos.
  
  
• Saturday, October 9: Group Picnic and Star Party. This will be a informal time forparticipants to observe the things we have been discussing under a dark sky with Rainwater Observatory's collection of telescopes including through the largest telescope in Mississippi.

luxury hotels in KarpunWeather permitting, telescope viewing will follow each session. If this sounds interesting to you, sign up today.

For more information or to request a paper registration form: Call (662) 547-6865 or Request More Information. Travel Information is available online.

Registration