JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The best places to observe the night sky are locations with the least amount of ‘light pollution.’ Thankfully, in Jackson Hole, that could be almost anywhere but if you were thinking the Elk Refuge would make an ideal spot, give yourself credit for a great idea.
The National Elk Refuge announced today it is partnering with the Jackson-based Wyoming Stargazing organization to offer a free evening of night sky viewing in the parking lot of the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center on Saturday, July 14.
The evening program, scheduled from 9:30-11:00pm, allows guests to view the wonders of the night sky while learning about the importance of dark sky conservation.
The family-friendly activity offers a unique and interesting way to enjoy another aspect of the valley’s spectacular scenery. The informal evening program will focus on stars, star clusters, nebulae, planets, and galaxies. Visibility on Saturday will be aided by the waxing crescent phase of the moon.
Wyoming Stargazers will bring a 10” Dobsonian telescope and several iPads with the StarWalk app. Additionally, attendees will have an opportunity to use Universe2go goggles, or virtual reality glasses that project the sky in real time. The goggles work as an augmented reality planetarium, using mirrors and a top-loading compartment for a smartphone to let the app know what part of the night sky someone is looking at and project the same section of a star map into the viewer.
The evening’s success will be weather-dependent, of course and the forecast at this point looks pretty good for a clear night. Thunderstorms could be a potential Saturday in the late afternoon or early evening, but generally clear conditions prevail from now through early next week.
The Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center is conveniently located within Jackson’s city limits at 532 N. Cache Street. A recorded naturalist phone line at (307) 201-5406 will give a program status in case cancellation due to inclement weather is necessary.
