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 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.