Adult Field Course: Grandfather’s Starry Skies

October is one of the best times of year to stargaze at Grandfather Mountain. The air is cool and clear, and the summer constellations are still prominent, with some early winter sights making an appearance later in the evening. The goal for this class is to create a familiarity with the night sky and learn the basics of stargazing that can be applied on your own on any clear night throughout the year.

Course leader Amanda K. Pastore is the director of Mayland Earth to Sky Park, as well as the educational coordinator, leading field trips for all K-12 groups, as well as hosting Bare Dark Sky Observatory events and planetarium programs year-round. She is also a Dark Sky Liaison for the International Dark Sky Association and is continually working to bring awareness to the dangers our dark skies face and how to preserve the night sky for future generations.

The course is part of Grandfather Mountain’s Adult Field Course series, which offers participants the chance to explore the mountain like never before. Students examine specific aspects of the park ecosystem through fun, hands-on field excursions. Course leaders are experts in their fields and include professors, naturalists, scientists and acclaimed photographers, writers, historians and artists.

Cost is $60 per person (or $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club program), with registration required in advance. Click here to register. This event has a rain date of Oct. 18, if needed, meaning that the event could happen Oct. 11 or Oct. 18. There will be no refunds given if the event is moved to the rain date.