NPS - National Park Service
08/24/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/24/2021 13:26
Night Sky Event: Our Glorious Milky Way Galaxy
Date:
August 24, 2021
Contact:Amber Kirkendall, (402) 223-3514
August 24, 2021
Contact:Amber Kirkendall, (402) 223-3514
Homestead National Historical Park News Release
For Immediate Release
Release Date: 08-24-21
Contact: Amber Kirkendall (402) 223-3514
Night Sky Event: Our Glorious Milky Way Galaxy
Beatrice, Nebraska - Homestead National Historical Park will host an evening Night Sky Event, Friday, September 3, 2021, outside of the Heritage Center, starting at 8 p.m. Gary Fugman of Northeast Nebraska Astronomy Club (search NENAC stars) will discuss 'Our Glorious Milky Way Galaxy'. After the discussion/presentation free September star charts will be given to all and explained for use that night and future use at home. Then, weather permitting, visitors will be treated to observing stars, nebulae and star clusters of the Milky Way Galaxy with astronomical telescopes available at Homestead. The planets Saturn and Jupiter will also be able to be observed before midnight.
Look up on an this early September evening away from city lights and you see a glorious river of white running from south to north up the night sky. This river of white is the Milky Way Galaxy, our island home in the vast universe of galaxies. About 100,000 light years in diameter, our galaxy contains hundreds of billions of stars. These stars give off the light that makes the arms of the galaxy visible and are on life paths that take them from birth to death. All three stages of the lives of the stars, birth, life and death, contribute to the structure and light that defines our glorious Milky Way Galaxy.
In accordance with the CDC guidance on the preventing the spread of COVID-19, safety mitigations will be followed including social distancing and/or the wearing of masks. 'The grounds of Homestead National Historical Park are a great place to take in the wonders of the Milky Way. The vastness of the Milky Way might even inspire a future Homestead Act,' stated Mark, Engler, Superintendent.
For more information, contact Homestead National Park at: 402-223-3514. For more information on available accommodations please contact Accessibility Coordinator, Amber Kirkendall at (402)223-3514.
Remember, Homestead National Historical Park has an exciting schedule of events planned for 2021. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNHP) and Facebook (Homestead National Historical Park).
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for the 423 parks in the National Park System and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.