Astronomy Night is returning to Cape Lookout National Seashore 8-10 p.m. Friday, July 16, at the Harkers Island Visitor Center.
The national park hasn’t held the program in well over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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NASA Solar System Ambassador Lisa Pelletier Harman will give a 45-minute presentation in the Harkers Island Theater on “Celestial Navigation Along the Graveyard of the Atlantic.” The program will show visitors the basics of maritime navigation using the night sky.
Following the presentation, park staff and astronomers from the Crystal Coast Stargazers, a NASA Night Sky Network astronomy club will host a star party, depending on the weather, in front of the visitor center. Visitors will be able to look at the moon and other sky-bound objects above the Southern Outer Banks through a telescope.
Organizers recommend checking the weather before hand and dressing accordingly and to bring water, snacks, bug repellent, and flashlight with a red filter, which helps in maintaining everyone’s night vision.
Those with telescopes are are encouraged to bring them along to learn how to get the most out of their own telescopic equipment from members of the Stargazers club.
