Come watch the stars

The Mayland Earth to Sky Park & Bare Dark Sky Observatory will offer community night for star gazing on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, February 18 and 19, and again on Thursday, February 24.

Organizers say participants can expect to see the Winter Hexagon featuring Orion, as well as Uranus, galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, satellites, and meteors, weather permitting.

The observatory, located in Yancey County, North Carolina, uses a 34-inch diameter Newtonian telescope, as well as a 14-inch mirror Meade telescope. Up to 22 people can spend two hours viewing and learning about the dark skies.

The observatory, featuring the largest telescope in the Southeast dedicated to public use. the International Dark-Sky Association has designated the Mayland Earth to Sky Park and Observatory as the first IDA-certified Star Park in the southeastern United States.

The event takes place in open air, so attendees should dress comfortably for the weather. There are no water fountains at the observatory so bring bottled water. Closed toed shoes and a flashlight are also highly recommended. There is a clean and sanitized porta john located in the parking lot.

Check the observatory website for reservations and Covid updates.

Tickets are $20 for each adult and $5 for children 12 and under.

The observatory is located at 66 Energy Exchange Drive,  Burnsville, North Carolina.