Cost: General admission
Over the years, Fort Griffin has gained a strong reputation for having some of the darkest night skies in Texas. Every month, we have new astronomers visit the site as word has spread.
Since not everyone has the equipment or vast knowledge of the night skies, we offer a unique opportunity for everyday folks to learn about and experience our dark skies as astronomers do through our monthly star gazing party.
What You Can Expect:
The program begins after dark in our baseball field of the campground with volunteer astronomers showing you the complex night skies through their varying powered telescopes. They will locate planets, nebulas, stars, and any other objects that can be found at that particular time of year.
The program typically lasts 2 to 3 hours, but if you are a night owl, you can stay as late as you want, as most of our astronomers typically stay most of the night. It is advised to bring a lawn chair, wear proper clothing for night time outdoors, and apply bug spray as needed (typically only during the summer months).
General admission applies, but gives you access to other programs we have scheduled in conjunction. If you arrive after 5 p.m., someone will greet you on the road to the campground to collect admission.
Important:
Please check the weather before attending our monthly star gazing program. Clear skies are needed for good viewing. Therefore, if heavy cloud cover is in the forecast, then the program will be cancelled. If you are uncertain about the expected weather conditions (this is often the case), please call us as close to the actual date as possible to confirm if the program will commence.
A great resource for checking sky conditions, which we often use in making our determination, is the Clear Sky Chart for Fort Griffin State Historic Site.
For questions about this program or to check on its status, please give us a call at 325.762.3592.
