Ohio Park DistrictsThere are many park districts all around the state of Ohio that have public astronomy education programs and observing events. Also, many public parks are hosts to local astronomy clubs and/or regular club-related events. Your local park may be your easiest avenue to learning the sky! If you would like to add or update a listing, please send the
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John Bryan State Park The Miami Valley Astronomical Society and the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery (formerly the Dayton Museum of Natural History) hold Annual Campers' Stargazes during the summer at John Bryan State Park in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The stargazes are held every other weekend throughout July and August. John Bryan State Park is located about 5 minutes from downtown Yellow Springs off Route 68 North. For details, please visit http://www.mvas.org. Portage Lakes The Astronomy Club of Akron leases land within the park to operate a small observatory. Special programs are presented seasonally. Darke County Park District Astronomy has been part of the Darke County Park District's programs since the fall of 1990. Stargazes are held monthly. The Darke County SkyWatchers meet the second Monday of every month at the Nature Center at 7:00pm. Stargazes are scheduled for lunar eclipses and other "special" sky happenings - like the bright comets of a couple of years ago. For information on local astronomy events, send e-mail to Gary Pike. NASA/Cleveland Metroparks Solar System Walks The Solar System Walks are educational and recreational trials developed by Cleveland Metroparks and NASA Glenn Research Center, with support from TRW. The journey through our solar system begins with the Sun and continues by "traveling" to each planet -- from Mercury all the way to Pluto -- unlocking some of the secrets of space. The scale representation of the solar system is designed to give an appreciation for the enormous size of the universe. Informational signs posted along the trail mark the Sun and each of the planets at their average distance from the Sun on a scale of one foot for every one million miles. The Solar System walks are about three quarters of a mile long and begin at South Mastick Picnic Area in Rocky River Reservation and Trolley Turn Picnic Area in Garfield Park Reservation. For more information, call the Cleveland Metroparks at 216/351-6300. |
