Kenlake State Resort Park and StarGeezer Astronomy will present a special “Total Solar Eclipse” preview and Summer Solstice Star Party tonight at the park.
The eclipse on August 21 will be the first total solar eclipse visible in the United States since 1979 and the first in Kentucky since 1869. The moon’s shadow will bring a total solar eclipse to all of Marshall, Lyon and Trigg counties and parts of Calloway, Graves and McCracken counties.
Virtually all of the region will see at least a 98 percent partial eclipse. Benton and Kenlake will experience totality and see the Sun’s amazing corona for up to two minutes.
Astronomer Mark Steven Williams of StarGeezer Astronomy will present a free program detailing the local circumstances of the “Great American Eclipse” at Marshall County and Kenlake, explain how to safely view the sun and experience the total solar eclipse with a program beginning at 6 p.m. CDT.
The program will start outdoors with a demonstration of simple observing tools including a pinhole camera and a specially outfitted telescope called a “Sun Funnel.” Activities will then move indoors for a presentation on the eclipse, “What’s Up” coming celestial highlights, the June 21 Summer Solstice and the evening’s stargazing program.
“We’ll talk about the special once in a lifetime experience this eclipse will bring to western Kentucky for the first time in 148 years and have lots of fun under the stars,” Williams said.
The family friendly program will include astronomy quizzes, prize giveaways including “Eclipse Shades” safe solar viewers and free Sky Maps for June 2017 while supplies last.
As dusk falls around 8:45 p.m. the evening’s outdoor stargazing party will begin with constellation tours and telescope views of the waxing Moon, Jupiter and selected “deep sky objects.”
“We’ll have 2 minutes of totality on August 21 at Kenlake and we invite our neighbors in Marshall County and across the Commonwealth to join us for a weekend of stargazing and relaxing family fun in anticipation of the big event,” Kenlake manager Mike Duffy said.
Other Kentucky State Parks in western Kentucky are also planning events related to the Aug. 21 eclipse. More details will be available soon at www.parks.ky.gov
For more information and reservations at Kenlake State Resort Park visit: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/kenlake/ or call 270-474-2211.
For astronomy and eclipse information click here , or email geezer@stargeezerastronomy.com .
Kentucky State Parks
