Exploring the Sky

Exploring the Sky is a joint program between the National Capital Astronomers and the National Park Service Rock Creek Park Nature Center and has been run since 1948 at this location, the field at the corner of Glover and Military Roads in the District. There is an adjacent parking lot. It is free and all are welcome who have an interest in observing the heavens. It’s not an ideal dark sky location but we can still see solar system objects (even the occasional comet), open and globular clusters and maybe a fuzzy galaxy or two.

This year, as an added feature, you can come one hour early and see a planetarium program in the Nature Center and then come to the field to observe.

If the sky is cloudy or it’s raining there will be a planetarium program at that one hour earlier time but the telescope portion of Exploring the Sky will be canceled.

Fees

This event is free to attend.

Location

Parking is available at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium. There is a short slightly rugged walk down hill between the Nature Center and the field where the telescopes are set up. Parking is also available at Picnic Grove #13, which is adjacent to the viewing area.

Latitude and Longitude 38.960040, -77.053471

Schedule

Event Type

• Campfire/Evening Program
• Other
• Partner Program
• Talk