In Southwest Austin and the surrounding area, a number of planets and stars can be viewed in the night sky, according to Joyce Lynch, outreach chairwoman with the Austin Astronomical Society.
The AAS hosts monthly star parties open to the public, and groups such as the city of Sunset Valley and Austin Community College have hosted stargazing events in the past.
In February, the International Dark-Sky Association designated the city of Dripping Springs as the first International Dark Sky Community in Texas for its efforts to use “smart lighting” to protect night sky views.
“When people enter the Dripping Springs area at night, many of them notice something is different—the skies over the city are not spoiled by light pollution,” Dripping Springs Mayor Todd Purcell said in a news release. “This is evidence that the city and the people who live in and near the city value the natural environment, including the beauty of the Hill Country and high quality of the night sky.”
From about April 16 to 25, the Lyrid meteor shower will occur, Lynch said. Stargazers can search for the constellation Lyra in the northeast. The peak morning is April 22, but the last quarter moon in the sky during the peak might subdue the number of meteors this year, she said. Lynch recommends using red flashlights while viewing the night sky so that eyes stay adapted to the dark.
“Meteor showers are always best seen after midnight, when the radiant point from which many seem to come is high in the sky,” she said. “They can be seen earlier and in other parts of the sky, but later is better.”
Area star parties and upcoming events
- March 21–May 3 Painter Hall Telescope viewing—Every Friday and Saturday while The University of Texas is in session, the Department of Astronomy hosts free public viewing on the Painter Hall Telescope. 8:30–10:30 p.m. Free. University of Texas, 103 W. 24th St. https://outreach.as.utexas.edu/public/painter.html
- March 29 and April 19 Austin Astronomical Society monthly public star parties—AAS members share their telescopes with the public to observe objects in the sky, including planets, galaxies, star clusters and nebulae. 7:30–11 p.m. Parking fee per person $5 (13 and older), $2 (seniors and people with disabilities), free (12 and younger). Canyon of the Eagles on Lake Buchanan, 16942 RR 2341, Burnet. www.austinastro.org
- April 3 Girlstart Starry Nights—On the first Thursday of every month, Girlstart’s new science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, Studio and Mini-Planetarium allows families to explore astronomy. April’s event will include lunar star shows. 6–7 p.m. Free. Girlstart STEM Center, 1400 W. Anderson Lane. www.girlstart.org
- April 4 Austin Community College Star Party—ACC gives the college and community an opportunity to stargaze from the Round Rock Campus observation deck and view family-friendly science exhibits. 5:30–9:30 p.m. Free. ACC, 4400 College Park Drive. www.austincc.edu/astro/starparty.html
- April 29 Kayak camping trip—Members of the Southwest Austin–based organization Hill Country Outdoors take a camping trip for intermediate-level kayakers and canoers. The group also hosts nighttime hikes and stargazing events throughout the year and participates in a Full Moon Yoga class each month. Times vary. Costs vary. Locations vary. www.hillcountryoutdoors.com
- April 30 Southern Skies Social—The Austin Planetarium holds a networking event held at House Wine so South Austinites can try food and wine and learn about the planetarium without having to leave their neck of the woods, Austin Planetarium Executive Director Torvald Hessel said. 5-9 p.m. Free. House Wine, 408 Josephine St. https://austinplanetarium.org
This list is not comprehensive. Details are subject to change because of weather and other factors; call ahead to RSVP.
Austin Planetarium looks to open temporary science museum location in 2014
A local nonprofit organization’s plans to build a science museum and planetarium are moving forward, according to Austin Planetarium Executive Director Torvald Hessel.
Hessel said the project has been in the making since April 2003, when he decided he wanted to build a planetarium in Austin. He formed the nonprofit Austin Planetarium, which held numerous fundraisers and events to support the project.
Last year the group went back to the drawing board after the state Legislature changed a law in the last legislative session that ultimately prohibits the group from building a planetarium and museum in the Capitol Complex, Hessel said. The group started looking for alternate sites where it can build a temporary location.
“We’re starting a campaign [this spring] that will be a public push to raise funds to make the building a possibility,” he said.
More information about the pilot facility will likely be released in May, Hessel said, noting his goal is to open the temporary facility before early 2015.
“It will most likely be north of the river but in or near downtown,” he said. “We really think we have the formula right this time. We’re starting small, we’re moving quickly and we feel very confident that we’ll have something open by the end of this year.”
