Astronomy

See Comet NEOWISE!

This visitor from far off in our Solar System is now visible in our evening skies!

Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) has never been recorded in history. This is your chance to see it for yourself!

It was discovered by the Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite under the current near-Earth survey of comets and asteroids. Now that it has passed around the Sun, it’s path has been modified under the influence of the Sun’s gravity. Don’t worry, this won’t be cause for any concern. This is normal and always happens to comets.

The comet now has a period of 6,800 years, the length of time before it returns to the inner Solar System. The closest approach to Earth occurs on July 23 at a distance of 0.69 AU. The average distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1 AU. The comet larger than average, about 5 km wide, a large ball of ice and dust. That’s why the tail is so impressive! The comet’s farthest distance from the Sun will be 720 AU. To understand the scale, Pluto is about 40 AU from the Sun.

The best way to view the comet is to use a plain pair of binoculars or just your eyes if you are under dark skies. Please see the accompanying chart to see where the comet will be in relation to the horizon and the Big Dipper. All positions shown are at 10 p.m. EDT. If you have clear skies, you will probably just start to see it in binoculars as early as 9:30 p.m. EDT. Happy comet hunting!

The Virtual Public Observing Program Has Passed, but You Can Still Watch the Fun!

Use this link to see the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJ5yRYe1uQ

July 24, 2020 9:30 p.m. EDT

Learn about the night sky with this free, live, virtual astronomy observing session across the state of Tennessee!

Use this link for Warner Park Nature Center’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnCfCZmHYJBkI_UQSpjcXkA?view_as=public

Seven telescopes will be used across the state of Tennessee from Kingsport to Memphis to show off the night sky run by astronomers, both professional and amateur. Coordinated and hosted by Warner Park Nature Center in Nashville, this event will be fun for the whole family. The night is not just for astronomers, Naturalist Heather Gallagher from Warner Park will start the program while twilight recedes in sharing nature at night. Learn about how you can recognize and identify creatures of the night!

Regardless of the local weather, each site will be prepared with a cloudy weather alternative to share. The event should last about two hours. Questions can be submitted via the YouTube link.

Public Observing Programs – Cancelled Until Further Notice

Our observing programs are free for everyone!

Quick View:

• Solar viewing (SunWatch) is free and held each clear Saturday & Sunday on the dam from 3-3:30 p.m., March-October.
• Night viewing (StarWatch) is held each Saturday in the months of March, April, October, & November, starting at dusk at the observatories. If poor weather, an alternate live presentation will occur in the planetarium theater.

Please check the calendar for the next daytime or nighttime viewing session.

Note: For the evening observing sessions, be sure to dress warmly. Dress for temperatures that are 20° colder than you expect.

The Bays Mountain Observatories are located along Bays Mountain Park Road just up from the dam. Look for the small circular building with a domed top. Please park in the parking lot and walk along the gravel drive to reach the observatory grounds.

Observatory Details – Cancelled Until Further Notice

Bays Mountain Park is home to two observatory structures housing a number of telescopes that include lensed refractors of 6″ & 8″, mirrored reflectors of 10″, 12.5″ & 17.5″, and more!

The Bays Mountain Astronomy Club and planetarium staff use all of these telescopes at various times through the year to show the public astronomical sights in nighttime skies.

Bays Mountain Park Clear Sky Chart

Click Here to go to the Clear Sky Chart’s website to learn how to correctly read the data. Clicking on the chart in their website brings up detailed information.

Quick View: you want dark blue for the first four rows.

Dark blue means no cloud cover, very transparent (no haze), excellent seeing (steady skies with no turbulence), and fully dark. For the next two rows, dark blue means no wind and very low humidity. The last row is temperature. Dark blue is super cold (-40°F – -31°F), white is at freezing (23°F – 32°F), and bright orange is moderate (68°F – 77°F).