News Release

Stars above the Battlefield: Then & Now – A Night Sky Program at the Recreation Field

Date: January 20, 2023
Contact: Kim Coons, 706-866-9241, ext. 139

Fort Oglethorpe, GA:  On Saturday, February 4, at 6 pm, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, in partnership with the Barnard Astronomical Society of Chattanooga, invites the public to participate in a special one-hour, ranger-led, program discussing the night skies above Chickamauga Battlefield during the Civil War compared to today. This program will take place at the Recreation Field on Chickamauga Battlefield. Special program signs will direct visitors to the program site. 

“We used to look up in the sky and wonder at our place in the stars,” Matthew McConaughey’s character says near the beginning of the 2014 movie Interstellar. “Now we just look down and worry about our place in the dirt.” Don’t just look down anymore.  Come join a park ranger and amateur astronomers for this very special program that allows visitation to Chickamauga Battlefield at night, which is otherwise restricted. 

The Barnard Astronomical Society will be providing telescopes for viewing. Participants are welcome to bring their own telescopes, if so desired, and are encouraged to bring an iPad to use a downloadable Night Sky App.  Portable chairs and flashlights are encouraged. Participants should dress for the weather. In case of rain, the event will be moved to Saturday, February 11, at 6 pm. 

For more information about the Barnard Astronomical Society of Chattanooga, please visit their website at https://barnardastronomy.org or find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BarnardAstro. 
 
For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/chch.