Georgia Magazine - August 2020 - 26

Around GEORGIA
Suggested apps and websites
Here are some apps for smartphones and
tablets that make it easier to find stars,
constellations, planets, satellites and
other sky objects.
* NASA
* PhotoPills
* Sky Guide
* Sky Map
* SkySafari
* SkyView
* SkyWiki
* Star Chart
* Star Walk 2
* Stellarium Mobile Sky Map
(and Stellarium Mobile PLUS)

Above: Visitors can view the Milky Way from
the boardwalk at Stephen C. Foster State
Park. Right: The interior of the observatory
at the Tellus Science Museum glows red.

"When you stay overnight, you also
experience the wildlife of the swamp, from
the sounds of frogs and night birds to splashing gators and
nocturnal insects. When I first came here, I was captivated by
the variety of wildlife-turkeys, black bears, foxes, bobcats, ibis,
herons, wood storks-things that you just don't see everywhere.
Add to that the large lakes, with the big-sky views, and the
narrow waterways lined with cypress trees, and it's like nothing
else you've ever experienced. The swamp is full of life."

Gatherings of gazers
Astronomy clubs often convene at the park to observe
celestial events. Most clubs in Georgia are open to guests and
offer public outreach programs.
"Hobbyists, amateur astronomers and photographers really
enjoy coming out and setting up telescopes in the parking lot
around the Trading Post here at the park," Snead says. "They
will bring in big rigs and very expensive telescopes to photograph deep-sky objects, such as nebulae, star clusters and other
galaxies."
When there's a particular event, such as a super moon or a
meteor shower, the park becomes a go-to destination. Reservations for overnight stays are scarce close to these events.
"The park closes at 10 p.m., so if you want to stay for a latenight or early-morning sky show, you pretty much have to make

Georgia Magazine

August 2020

TELLUS SCIENCE MUSEUM

GEORGIA PHOTOGRAPHY FANATIC

The following websites provide
information about astronomy and
celestial displays throughout the year.
* darksky.org
* go-astronomy.com
* in-the-sky.org
* seasky.org
* space.com
* stellarium-web.org

When you go
Stephen C. Foster State Park, Fargo.
(912) 637-5274.
gastateparks.org/stephencfoster.

a reservation," Snead says. "And even if you
leave at 10, the closest lodging is an hour's
drive away in Valdosta, Homerville or Lake City, Fla."
Snead offers some advice: Check sky calendars to find out
what's visible at a particular time of year and verify the phases of
the moon for optimal observation. Star-chart websites include
information such as GPS coordinates.
To get the most spectacular views of the Milky Way, "plan
your trip for the late summer or early fall," he says. "As long as
the night is cloudless and the moon is new, you certainly won't
be disappointed."
Pamela A. Keene is a freelance writer who lives in Flowery
Branch.

A few astronomy clubs in Georgia
* Atlanta Astronomy Club, meets third Saturday of the month at
Fernbank Science Center, Atlanta. atlantaastronomy.org.
* Flint River Astronomy Club, meets second Thursday of the month
at The Gardens at the Georgia Experiment Station/University of
Georgia, Griffin. flintriverastronomy.org.
* Middle Georgia Astronomical Society, meets first Saturday of the
month at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, Macon. mgas.org.
* Oglethorpe Astronomical Association, meets second Thursday
of the month at Georgia Southern University Science Center,
Armstrong Campus, Savannah. oaa-savannah.org.

http://www.darksky.org http://www.go-astronomy.com http://www.in-the-sky.org http://www.seasky.org http://www.space.com http://www.stellarium-web.org http://www.gastateparks.org/stephencfoster http://www.atlantaastronomy.org http://www.flintriverastronomy.org http://www.mgas.org http://www.oaa-savannah.org

Georgia Magazine - August 2020

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