By Adam Prudhomme
Staff Reporter
Stargazers will be able to look upon the very galaxy that contains the earth’s solar system tomorrow and Saturday evening as night sky photography expert Joe Gilker returns to the L&A Dark Sky Viewing Area for a laser guided tour.
The Milky Way, Saturn, the Eagle Nebula, the Ring Nebula and the Hercules Cluster are among the prominent objects in the night sky this time of year and will be highlighted during Gilker’s presentation. Following the guided tour he’ll be offering glimpses through his telescope.
“July is Milky Way season where it’s at its prime for the year,” said Gilker, noting it’s a great focal point for even the most amateur of stargazer. “Naked eye, that’s the way to look at the Milky Way. With a telescope you look into it rather than at it. You can’t really see the details of the Milky Way when using a telescope. You can only get in and see the actual stars of it.”
Though not quite in its prime viewing location, Saturn will also be on the list of sights to see.
“Even on a small beginner telescope, if somebody can find Saturn then can see the rings,” said Gilker. “It’s really an impressive sight. Once you start looking at it through a larger telescope with a little bit higher power, it’s really quite impressive.”
This summer’s weather has been a bit challenging for stargazers, as they’ve already had to cancel a few nights at the DSVA due to cloudy conditions. Anyone interested in attending this Friday or Saturday’s event is encouraged to visit www.DarkSkyViewing.com for updates. The event will only go ahead as planned in the event that the sky is mostly clear of clouds.
Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, this season has attracted quite the following of night sky watchers. L&A estimates they draw more than 80 people to each of their events, which is an increase for this time compared to last year. Those that do attend are encouraged to dress for the conditions, bring a lawn chair and binoculars, telescope or camera. Following the presentation, which gets underway around 9:30 p.m., Gilker will be offering tips on how to photograph the night sky.
This weekend’s event is part of a summer-long series at the DSVA, hosted by the county. More events are planned through August and September.
The Dark Sky Viewing Area, which is renowned for its pristine views of the night sky, free of city light pollution, is located at 7980 County Road 41 near Erinsville. It’s 37 kilometres north of Napanee.