Geauga Park District’s Observatory Park in Montville Township is open daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Labor Day through Memorial Day, and naturalists including “Astro-Nat” Chris Mentrek will be leading several events this fall and winter.
Observatory Park will offer guided night sky viewing opportunities on these Fridays and Saturdays: Oct. 22 and 23, Nov. 12, 13, 26 and 27, and Dec. 10 and 11 at the park’s main campus and they will be led by a naturalist, as well as Oct. 16, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18 at Nassau Astronomical Station and those will be led by Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society volunteer-led.
Ohio will be experiencing a near-total Lunar Eclipse in the wee hours of Nov. 19. Those interested can wake up to appreciate this rare spectacle in the park. The eclipse lasts from 1 to 7 a.m. but the most dramatic part of the eclipse will occur from 2 to 4 a.m., as the moon passes into darkness, so that’s when a naturalist will be on hand at the park unless it’s too cloudy.
Naturalist Chris presents astronomy education onsite at 7 p.m. these Fridays: Nov. 12 (“All About Eclipses”) and Dec. 10 (“Henrietta Leavitt: Astronomy Pioneer”). Meanwhile virtual Zoom programs will take place at 7 p.m. on the following Fridays: Oct. 22 (“Ohio’s Ancient Astronomers”) and Nov. 26 (“All About Eclipses”).
Those interested can learn basic journaling techniques at “Nature Journaling: Night Sky” on Nov. 22, with sessions available in the morning and afternoon. A one-time registration fee applies to cover the cost of a journal, pen and pencil.
Certain age groups get extra-special access to Observatory Park this season.
Youths ages 3 to 5 with an adult can sign up for Astrotots: Super Stars on Nov. 5 or 6, with three sessions available each day. And youth ages 6 to 11 with an adult can sign up for Nature Explorers: Astronomy on Nov. 20.
Geared toward grades 6 through 12, though all are welcome, the Geauga Skywatchers Club has returned to in-person meetings, traveling to a different branch of the Geauga County Public Library each month. All those interested can register through geaugalibrary.libcal.com for these Monday evening meetings — “History of UFOs in Ohio” on Nov. 1and “Solstice Science” on Dec. 6.
Finally, “Astro-Nat” Chris presents his “The Sky Tonight Planetarium Shows” on Sundays, Oct. 24, Nov. 28 and Dec. 12, during two afternoon sessions.
Registration is required for all the programs, with the exception of guided night sky viewing and the lunar eclipse, at www.geaugaparkdistrict.org under Programs & Activities, or at 440-286-9516 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
