Attend a Night Sky Tour
The Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge have installed a permanent astronomical telescope on the south lawn of the Blackwater NWR Visitor Center in order to offer night sky tours. These tours will be led by Friends of Blackwater board member and retired astrophysicist Harry Heckathorn. The telescope serves as a sensitive digital camera and will be used to view available planets, their satellites, star clusters, colorful multiple star systems, gaseous nebulae, and distant galaxies in real time. While the telescope is moved from one target to the next, we will point out prominent constellations and tie the night sky to the history of our location in Dorchester County.
Night Sky Tours will occur monthly during the period around new moon, when the views of deep space objects are at their best. Tours will begin 30-35 minutes after sunset and last 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Attendance is by invitation only at this time. If you would like to participate, please e-mail BlackwaterSkyTour@gmail.com for additional information and to register for upcoming events. Please mention "Tour Inquiry" in the e-mail subject line.
This outdoor event depends critically on the weather. We require a clear sky, low wind velocity, and low dew formation. We hope to schedule each month’s tour about four days in advance during an 11-day period centered a few days before new moon. Forecasts from the National Weather Service will be our guide. Should the predicted weather turn unfavorable, cancellation is possible up to and including the morning of the event – so monitor your e-mail.
Once a favorable date has been selected, the Friends of Blackwater will send invitations to all who have registered. If this date is convenient and you wish to participate, please respond promptly since attendance at each tour is limited to approximately 30 individuals. The invitation will contain information on when you should plan to arrive and what you should bring and not bring to the event.
Telescope Gallery
Acknowledgements: Your memberships and donations to the Friends of Blackwater support the Night Sky Tours. The telescope facility was installed in early Spring 2022 with funds provided by the Friends of Blackwater, Maryland Heritage Area Authority, and the Heart of the Chesapeake Country Heritage Area.
