Winter Star Party Planned By Museum in Oregon

Jan. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- A winter star party coordinated by the Klamath County Museum will be offered Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, on Lower Klamath Lake Road.  “Why Winter Stargazing?” is the title of a campfire program that will be offered at 6 p.m. Saturday. Participants are encouraged to dress warm and bring a lawn chair. Hot chocolate will be provided.

The star party site is located about a quarter-mile south of Cross Road, about eight miles south of Klamath Falls. Signs will be positioned to help motorists find the site.
“The Orion nebula is probably the key attraction at this time of year,” said Rob Elder, an amateur astronomer helping with the event.

“But the nebula is just one of many interesting things to see in the wintertime,” Elder added. “The star Betelgeuse will be shining bright, and Harry Potter fans may want to come out and see the star that Sirius Black was named for.”

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, but many people never learn to locate it because it’s a winter star, Elder said.  The planets Venus and Jupiter are also dominant in the evening sky. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars and learn how to spot the moons of Jupiter.  Elder, who built his own telescope for viewing deep-sky objects, is one of several astronomy enthusiasts who will be on hand to help people become familiar with the winter night sky.

Klamath County Museum Manager Todd Kepple said star parties offered over the past couple of years have been well received, especially by families with children interested in science.  This will be the first such event to be held in the winter.

“We’re fortunate to have located a great spot close to town with a very dark southern sky,” Kepple said. “We hope this type of event will help young people develop an appetite for learning about the cosmos.”

In the event of cloudy weather, the star party will be postponed to a later date. For last-minute updates on the status of the event, check the Klamath County Museum’s Facebook page.  For more information contact the Klamath County Museum at 541-883-4208.

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