Families across central Indiana will have a chance to explore the night sky during the 23rd annual Indiana Family Star Party, set for August 7 and 8 at Camp Cullom near Frankfort.
The event, known as the Midwest’s premier family-focused star party, invites visitors to experience dark rural skies, view star clusters and galaxies, and learn constellations alongside amateur and professional astronomers. Telescopes from Prairie Grass Observatory and visiting astronomers will be available for public viewing, with permission from equipment owners.
Activities begin Friday evening with gates opening at 4:00 p.m. An ice cream social at 6:30 p.m. at the Nature Center will be followed by an orientation roundtable at 7:00 p.m. The evening also includes the Sky Trekker Lite and Sky Trek Adult Lite programs, with an 8:00 p.m. launch meeting in the air-conditioned Camp Cullom Lodge and a 10:10 p.m. session at the Galileo Gallery. Participants will reconvene indoors if weather conditions require.
Earlier Friday activities include a swap meet from 11:30 a.m. to noon, solar observing from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., and another swap meet from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Beginning Astronomy Workshop will be held at 8:30 p.m., and movies begin at 10:00 p.m. in the Nature Center…