Golden Pond, KY – The Summer Nights planetarium and astronomy program presented by “Friends of LBL” will begin June 4th, 2011, at the Golden Pond Planetarium located at the Golden Pond Visitor Center in the Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area. The planetarium is open seven days a week March through December.
Summer Nights features a planetarium theater presentation starting at 8:30pm in the 40-foot dome planetarium. The presentation is followed by live viewing of the night sky (weather permitting) through the 12.5 inch, equatorially mounted, Newtonian telescope at the Golden Pond Observatory. The dome of the observatory will be opened up and members of the West Kentucky Amateur Astronomers (WKAA) club will be on hand to help guide visitors through the night sky.
WKAA member, Harold Meyers, invites the public to come out and enjoy Summer Nights. “We welcome everyone from beginners to experts; we want to give people the opportunity to see the moon, stars, planets, nebula, and other celestial objects in the clear night sky above LBL. In addition to pointing out objects through the observatory, our members will also provide additional telescopes for sky viewing.”
This summer WKAA will also be hosting in depth astronomy programs at LBL. Summer Nights will be presented every other Saturday night starting June 4th.
The schedule for the summer season is as follows:
June 4th – 8:30pm. The Skies Above
June 4th – 9:30pm. Introduction into Astronomy with WKAA
June 18th – 8:30pm. Two Small Pieces of Glass
June 18th – 9:30pm. Summer Nights
July 2nd – 8:30pm. Journey to the Edge of Space & Time
July 2nd – 9:30pm. Summer Nights
July 16th – 8:30pm. The Skies Above
July 16th – 9:30pm. Summer Nights
July 30th – 8:30pm. Two Small Pieces of Glass
July 30th – 9:30pm. Telescope Time Machine with WKAA
August 13th – 8:30pm. Two Small Pieces of Glass
August 13th – 9:30pm. Summer Nights
August 27th – 8:30pm. Journey to the Edge of Space & Time
August 27th – 9:30pm. How to Choose a Telescope with WKAA
Planetarium shows begin at 8:30pm sharp; doors open at 8:00pm. No tickets will be sold after the show begins. Admission: $5.00 adults, $2.00 children 5-12, and free ages 4 and under. (Discount and Fun Cards are not accepted for this special program.) The Golden Pond Planetarium is located on The Trace (KY Highway 453) at the junction with US68/KY80 in LBL.
About Land Between The Lakes
Land Between The Lakes is managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with “Friends of LBL,” to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. We encourage visitors to review our website at www.lbl.org each season, and throughout the season, for our Calendar of Events, maps, updates on programs and policies, safety information, and temporary trail and road closures.
