The Apollo 11 moon landing will be the focus of Astronomy Day, May 11, 2019, at the Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory inside Land Between the Lakes. The event is free and everyone is invited. Photo Credit: NASA
The Friends of Land Between the Lakes and the West Kentucky Amateur Astronomers invite you to join us as we host National Astronomy Day on May 11, 2019, 10 am to 4 pm, at the Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory, inside Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, 238 Visitor Center Drive, Golden Pond, Kentucky, 42211.
Planetarium Director Bill Futrell said “We are happy to host National Astronomy Day at Golden Pond in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. This mission is best remembered by Astronaut Neil Armstrong’s quote ‘One small step for man… One giant leap for mankind.’ We hope you and your family will join us on this special day of celebration of the human spirit and our innate need to explore our earth-moon system and beyond.”
Astronomy Day provides the public with an opportunity to meet real astronomers and tour our observatory. West Kentucky Amateur Astronomers will be set up to help everyone safely view the sun during the day, which is a rare opportunity.
Programming for the day includes:
10 am Earth, Moon and Sun – planetarium show which explores the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American oral traditions.
11 am – Back To The Moon For Good – planetarium show narrated by actor Tim Allen takes the audience through a successful launch, landing and lunar surface travel.
12 noon – From Earth to the Universe – Take a stunning voyage through time and space during this planetarium show.
1 pm – Comet Man – Make a real comet with household materials at this live demonstration!
2 pm – Explore – Planetarium show featuring an adventurous journey of humankind, from ancient Mesopotamia to space exploration.
3 pm – Choosing Telescopes and Binoculars for Astronomy – Get advice from our local experts.
4 pm – Firefall – The story of comets, meteors and asteroids is told in this planetarium show.
Free Planetarium Shows, hourly, 10 am to 4 pm
Observatory Tours
Sun and Moon Observing
Lego Display of 40” Saturn V Apollo Rocket
Giveaways
Opportunity to win a pair of Orion Binoculars (10×50)
About the Friends of Land Between the Lakes
Land Between The Lakes Association (Friends of Land Between the Lakes) is a non-profit organization. Its mission is to work with public and private stakeholders to educate, improve, promote, conserve and provide stewardship for the Land Between the Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area. More information is available at www.friendsoflbl.org. It is supported through business and personal memberships, gift shop sales and other contributions.