Enjoy a Star Gazing Event Saturday Night in Cades Cove GSMNP

You know fall is just around the corner when it is time for the annual Great Smoky Mountains national park (GSMNP) star gazing event in Cades Cove.

One of the great things about our beloved national park besides the beautiful scenery, numerous cultural resources and peace and quiet is the fact that there are spots in the park with virtually no light pollution so you can see fainter celestial objects possible better than you have ever seen them before.

Because of their bowl like geography which blocks out light pollution from nearby towns and roads, 2 areas of the Great Smoky Mountains national park, Cades Cove in Tennessee and the Cataloochee Valley in North Carolina give stargazers to chance to see faint objects like the Milky Way very clearly on a clear night.

This Saturday, September 19th 2015 beginning at 7:30 pm there will be a 2-1/2 hour stargazing event taking place in Cades Cove presented by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with help from the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society.

As long as the weather is good for viewing, this program will take place on the first field on the right hand side as you enter the Cades Cove Loop. You will park your car near the orientation shelter at the start of the loop, or in the overflow parking area by the Cades Cove Riding stables.

You should come to the star gazing event in Cades Cove with warm clothes, a flashlight, a blanket or lawn chair along with any drinks or snacks you may want. Whatever you bring you will need to be able to carry it at least 1/3rd of a mile. Since parking is limited, carpooling is strongly advised.

When you arrive in the field, there will be numerous telescopes set up which you are allowed to use after a demonstration and lecture that is fun for all ages about the night sky. According to GSMNP Park Ranger Mike Maslona "People will be amazed at the vast depths of this planetary world and all that they can see in the complete darkness. This program mixes astronomy, legends, and the beauty of the stars to create a worthwhile exploration into the wonders of the heavens."

If the weather is such that there is a heavy cloud cover or possible rain the star gazing event is subject to postponement. To confirm that the program will take place, call (865)448-4104 on Saturday.

Cades Cove Stargazing Program Tonight Will Be A Perfect End To A Perfect Day in the GSMNP.

Though the weather in the Smokies this weekend was expected to less than perfect just a few days ago, absolutely perfect weather has rolled in and will make tonight's free stargazing programming taking place on the Cades Cove section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park the perfect way to end this glorious day.

Beginning at 7:30 pm in cooperation with the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society there will be a short lecture of what you will see in the night sky and the chance to observe with the help of experienced astronomers and the numerous telescopes they have brought for this evenings show, the chance to see firsthand on this moonless night, stars, galaxies, and constellations, including the Milky Way.

Cades Cove is one of the best places to be able to observe the night sky in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its perfect natural bowl formed by the sounding mountain that block out unwanted light pollution that makes faint objects ion the night sky hard to see.

Parking will be at and near the orientation shelter at the start of the Cades Cove Loop. From here, you must carry your seating or blankets to the first field on the right hand side - about a 3/4 mile round trip.

While the newly paved Cades Cove road is easy to walk on even at night, you may want to bring a flashlight. It would be best of you have a red light or lens cover so as night disturb other observers. It is in the 60s right now in Cades Cove and will be in the 50s by the time the program is over so dress appropriately.

After a major portion of the program I will be hiking the 11 mile Cades Cove Loop, all are welcome to join me.

Last night was a huge hit for star gazers in Cades Cove area of Great Smoky Mountains national park

Stage gazers in Cades Cove got an eyeful last night at the 3rd annual stargazing even held in the Great Smoky Mountains national park by the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society and the National park service.

The weather was picture perfect; clear cool with low humidity - perfect for star gazing and Cades Cove was the perfect place to enjoy the night sky.

More people showed up than I would have ever expected and young and old alike had a great time in the first field on the right as you enter Cades Cove.

Here we all received a rudimentary education on some of the stars and constellations in the autumn sky along with Native American stories about the night skies.

Once the lecture was over we strolled up to the many high powered telescopes and binoculars the members of the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society brought into Cades Cove.

Cades Cove is like a giant bowl with the Smoky Mountains ringing the valley floor shielding all the lights from the cities and towns in the distance. In the deep darkness of Cades Cove when the last of the light from the sunset fell behind the mountains and we can no longer see the bats flying around catching their Saturday evening meal, the faint stars forever hidden by city lights, clearly shown above us.

Don't miss the opportunity next year to join us again on this adventure. Even without any fancy equipment, come into the Cove on a moonless night and look up and be amazed!

Cades Cove will be a amateur astronomer’s paradise for star gazing on October 4th in the GSMNP

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park along with the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society will offer a free 2 hour stargazing program beginning at 7:30 pm Saturday October 4th - far away from the light pollution of any of the towns and cities of the Smokies.

This is the third years that this exciting program is being held in the GSMNP in Cades Cove where visitors will find several telescopes set up in order to observe the stars, galaxies and constellations in the autumn sky on what will be a moonless night.

Along with the telescopes provided by the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society, members of the group will be providing their in-depth astronomy knowledge to visitors as well.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park has had 75 years to return back to a more natural state since the park was created. Not only does the inside of the park offer the chance to leave the visual pollution of billboards and neon signs of outside the park behind, much of the park is devoid of noise pollution and at night huge areas of the park are absent of light pollution created by the street lights, lighted structures and lights from cars in the outside world.

Without the light pollution, you have far better night vision so you are able to see far fainter objects in the night sky - even without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. Cades Cove is an ideal location to get away from the light pollution and a perfect place to observe the night skies.

If you are planning on coming to this GSMNP event, be sure to dress warmly, bring either a blanket or lawn chair to sit on and a flashlight - preferably with a red cover. If you have binoculars, bring them along as well as you can use them for stargazing.

Park your car near the exhibit shelter at the entrance to the 11 mile Cades Cove Loop Road where you will be escorted to a nearby filed where the group will be.

So far the weather looks good for Saturday, unfortunately if there is bad weather the program will be canceled.