News Release

Night Skies Over the LBJ Ranch on October 22

Viewing the night sky from the LBJ Ranch Airstrip.

News Release Date: October 13, 2022

Contact: Cynthia Dorminey, 18308687128

STONEWALL, TEXAS – Make plans to view the wonders of the night sky at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park on Saturday, October 22. Beginning at 6:30 pm at the LBJ Ranch near Stonewall, the National Park Service will host programs highlighting the marvels of the night sky and the importance of preserving dark skies.

The event will begin with a program at 6:30 pm in the Hangar visitor center. Russ Glenn, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, will highlight current NASA missions including the James Webb space telescope and the Artemis mission. A space education professional with a Master of Science in Space Studies, Russ has been bringing experiential learning into his classrooms for over 25 years. The evening’s interactive program will take a closer look at current and future space exploration.

After the presentation concludes at 7:30 pm, the Hill Country Astronomers (HCA) will set up telescopes and offer a stargazing experience from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Visitors can view stars, globular star clusters, and even distant galaxies. Founded by a group of amateur astronomers in 2011, the HCA’s educational mission encourages the public to learn about astronomy and space science. For more information, visit www.hillcountryastronomers.com.

Gates to the LBJ Ranch will open at 6:00 pm. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes, and bring water. Restrooms will be available. Flashlights are recommended; lights with a red filter are ideal.

The event is free of charge; however, attendance is limited to 70 participants.

To Reserve Your Space
Call 830-868-7128 ext. 244
or email [e-mail] with the subject "Night Skies Over the LBJ Ranch"

Entry to the LBJ Ranch is located north of US Highway 290, just off of Ranch Road 1. In case of inclement weather, participants with reservations will be notified of event updates. Updates will also be posted on the park website at www.nps.gov/lyjo and the park Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LBJohnsonNPS. For information on night skies in national parks, visit www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is open seven days a week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information call 830-868-7128 ext. 231 or 244, or visit www.nps.gov/lyjo and www.facebook.com/LBJohnsonNPS.

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.