(MCT)—If you became enthralled by happenings in the sky after watching last week’s solar event, the transit of Venus in which the planet treks across the face of the sun, head to the observatories in the following cities for more stargazing.
Nashville
Vanderbilt University’s Dyer Observatory sits atop a peak in Nashville and has had telescopes pointed toward the skies since 1953. The observatory, on the National Register of Historic Places, houses instruments and astronomical artifacts dating to 1875. The telescopes are open to the viewing public for free on the second Friday of each month through November. In the daytime, the Dyer is open the first Wednesday of each month and to tours with reservations. Check out the calendar at www.dyer.vanderbilt.edu or call 615-373-4897 for hours and special Stellar Nights programming.
Flagstaff, Ariz.
The Lowell Observatory, a private research institution founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell, is dedicated to astronomy and planetary science.
The Lowell is at 7,200-foot elevation and its observatory is open every day 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. through August. There are daily guided tours of the research facilities and the Pluto Discovery Telescope, plus multimedia presentations. There are daily solar viewings at noon and nightly exploration of the moon, stars and Jupiter through the telescopes. For admission and visitor information, see www.lowell.edu.
Hilo, Hawaii
On the Big Island, tourists who can withstand serious altitude can head to the mountain Mauna Kea to visit the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy. The observatory is at the top of a 9,300-foot summit and features visitor galleries and telescopes. The visitor center is open every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and offers free stargazing programs nightly. Check out www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis for more information.
©2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, Ga.)
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