State Park can show which telescope is best
It’s not long until Santa Claus makes his rounds, and while his memory remains sharp, it never hurts to let him know some specifics about the “toy” on the wish list. Assuming the person asking has been good, maybe a visit to Hobbs State Park can be of help if it’s a telescope that is on their Christmas wish list.
The Sugar Creek Astronomical Society will soon be coming to Hobbs State Park on Saturday to offer all the information needed to be able to choose the right telescope for any household. While “How to Buy a Telescope” will be the focus of the evening, there will also be some fascinating night sky objects to view. Neptune will be rising in the east, Jupiter and Saturn will be dazzling, always bright Venus will beckon in the southwest at sunset and the Sugar Creek troop will have a go at finding Pluto in the southern sky.
On top of this, the opportunity will be there to see some Messier (messee-a) objects. OK, what are Messier objects? Messier was a French astronomer who cataloged 110 faintlight, “deep sky” images using his primitive, 18th century telescope. He was looking for comets, but modern telescopes have shown most of the objects he found to be diffuse nebulae, planetary nebulae, open star clusters, globular star clusters and galaxies. In early spring, astronomers sometimes gather for “Messier marathons,” when all 110 Messier objects can be viewed over a single night.
What an evening this is going to be at Hobbs State Park. Learn how to buy a telescope, see a few planets and view some Messier objects. Definitely worth marking a calender. What to bring:
• Flashlight (covered with a red cloth or red balloon)
• Binoculars and/or telescope (if available)
• Folding chair – one per person
• Star chart (if available) Recommended minimum age for this program is 8 years old.
Where: Hobbs State Park Outdoor Education Pavilion (Next to the Park visitor center. The visitor center will be closed.)
When: Saturday, beginning with a lecture from 5:45-6:45 p.m., followed by the night sky viewing from 6:45-9 p.m.
Cost: The event is free and open to the public
For information, call Hobbs State Park: 479-7895000
About Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area
Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area heads the list as the largest of Arkansas’s 52 state parks with a 12,054acre tract of Ozark landscape along the southern shore of Beaver Reservoir. It is a significant component of the northwest Arkansas ecosystem with carefully managed human impact.
Highlights of this day-use park include a diverse, 54mile trail system constructed for hiking, running, ADA, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails. The Park offers 11 primitive campsites, six available to mountain bikers, the first of their kind in northwest Arkansas. Hobbs is the only state park in Arkansas to allow regulated hunting. The visitor center includes exhibits about the park’s natural resources, limestone landscape, and history. Interpretive programs and workshops are offered throughout the year.
For additional information on park programs, trails, picnicking or meeting room rental contact the park at 479-789-5000. The visitor center is located on Arkansas Highway 12, just east of the War Eagle Road intersection (20201 East Highway 12, Rogers).