News Release

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP Announces 2018 Star Gazing Parties

Sunset over Cedar Creek

VIP Buddy Secor/NPS

News Release Date: April 9, 2018

Contact: Eric Campbell, 540-868-9176

National Park Service News Release
     
For Immediate Release – April 9, 2018
Contact’s Name: ERIC CAMPBELL [phone]


Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park
 Announces Star Gazing Parties


Middletown, VA ----- Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park invites visitor s to view and learn about the nighttime sky through three Star Gazing Parties scheduled throughout 2018. These special National Park Service events, held in partnership with the Shenandoah Astronomical Society (SAS) and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, are scheduled for Saturday, April 21^st, Saturday, August 11^th and Saturday, October 13^th . As part of the National Park Service’s “Find Your Park” campaign, these programs encourage visitors to explore Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in a variety of ways and to discover the night sky in a quiet and peaceful setting.

All three programs are free of charge and will be held at the Thoburn Redoubt property, located on Bowman’s Mill Road, in Warren County. This tract has been preserved by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and marks the location where the Battle of Cedar Creek began on October 19, 1864. The site will be marked by directional signage for each event.

The Star Party on Saturday, April 21^st will begin at 8:00 p.m. is scheduled to coincide with the Lyrid Meteor Shower. The Star Party on August 11^th will start at 8:30 p.m. and is scheduled to coincide with the Perseid Meteor Shower, which results from debris stream associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Star Party on October 13^th will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will examine a variety of celestial features in the nighttime sky.

Each program will include a short introduction by a park ranger, followed by an astronomical related program given by a member of the SAS. Visitors are welcomed to bring their own telescopes, or use the ones that will be provided by the Shenandoah Astronomical Society.

 
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park offers a wide variety of ranger-conducted programs, which tell the park’s many stories related to the rich cultural history of the Shenandoah Valley and the American Civil War. These programs are offered regularly. Check the park website (www.nps.gov/cebe) or call [phone] for a current schedule.