Dark Sky Caravan

Dark Sky Caravan: Aug 11th – 16th The Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium is gearing up to hit the road again for the 8th annual Dark Sky Caravan!

Minnesota is home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) which is the second largest International Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world. To celebrate our dark skies, Planetarium staff will be traveling along the North Shore stopping at different locations each night for a star party. You can enjoy fun activities and presentations or planetarium shows. Once it gets dark, you can gaze through telescopes and get a live sky tour of the stars and constellations visible. We will also be on the lookout for meteors from the Perseid meteor shower which peaks Aug 12th-13th. If it’s cloudy, don’t worry! We will still have fun activities and digital sky tours so you can learn what to look for when it clears up.

Grab your bug spray and come join us for some fun under the stars!

The star parties will run from 8 pm to 10 or 11 pm each night. Starting at 8 pm you can enjoy fun activities and presentations. Once it gets dark, you can gaze through telescopes and get a live sky tour of the stars and constellations visible. If it’s cloudy, don’t worry! We will still have fun activities and digital sky tours so you can learn what to look for when it clears up.

You can find our list of stops below:

August 11th:  8 pm – 10 pm: Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium – UMD, Duluth

• Trivia game with fun prizes at 8pm
• Telescope viewing (weather permitting) once it gets dark
• If it’s cloudy, there will be activities and planetarium shows

 

August 12th: 8 pm – 10 pm:  Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors,

• Presentation on night sky photography by John Gregor at 8pm
• Activities
• Telescope viewing (weather permitting) once it gets dark
• If it’s cloudy, there will be activities and a digital night sky tour

 

August 13th:  8 pm – 11 pm: Tettegouche State Park Visitor Center, Silver Bay

• Shows in the portable planetarium
• Activities
• Telescope viewing (weather permitting) once it gets dark
• If it’s cloudy, there will be activities and more planetarium shows

 

August 14th:  8 pm – 11 pm: North House Folk School, Grand Marais

• Digital night sky tour at 8p
• Activities
• Telescope viewing (weather permitting) once it gets dark
• If it’s cloudy, there will be activities and other presentations

 

August 15th: 8 pm – 11 pm: Schapp Community Center, Gunflint Trail

• Shows in the portable planetarium
• Activities
• Telescope viewing (weather permitting) once it gets dark
• If it’s cloudy, there will be activities and more planetarium shows

 

August 16th:  4 pm – 6 pm: Seagull Lake Community Center, Gunflint Trail

• Shows in the portable planetarium
• Activities

6:30 pm – 10:30 pm: Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, Grand Marais, MN

• Telescope viewing (weather permitting) once it gets dark
• If it’s cloudy, there will be activities and other presentations

 

The Planetarium is very thankful to the Gunflint Trail Historical Society, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, and Visit Cook County for their help in planning, coordinating, and running the Dark Sky Caravan!

Additional Info

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