Remember going camping, lying flat on your back in the middle of the night, and soaking up the beauty of a clear, starry night sky? The universe beyond the borders of our earth’s atmosphere have gripped humanity’s collective imagination for as long as we have recorded history. Thanks to the Texas A&M Astronomy Group and The Stella Hotel, we can learn about the wonders of the stars without having to take an astronomy class or purchase a telescope of our own. For two more dates this summer, Thursday, July 18 and Thursday, August 8, you can stop by The Stella Hotel for The Back Yard Star Party, where you will be able to visually explore the cosmos while learning relevant information about it!
The Texas A&M Astronomy Group, a part of The Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, will be providing multiple telescopes, each of which will be pointed at different areas of interest in the night sky, including constellations, planets, and the moon. According to their website, “Texas A&M astronomy students will be stationed at each telescope to help guide visitors through the viewing process, allowing guests to experience and learn about different features of the night sky throughout the summer.”
Anyone wanting to witness the wonders of the night sky up close can join the party on the outdoor lawn of The Stella, called The Back Yard. While the hotel is only a couple of years old, they have already set themselves apart from other hotels in town by fusing “music, art, design, and service to handcraft a genuine Texas experience.” It is not uncommon to look out your hotel window and see an outdoor concert or some other cultural event taking place. Stargazing starts at 9:00 p.m., so why not kick off the evening with a drink and something to snack on first?
The next Back Yard Star Party is Thursday, July 18, and the price of entry is free! Bring back some of your starry night memories by viewing the night sky like you’ve never seen it before, and you’ll learn something new while you’re at it. For more information, check out their Facebook event page: http://bit.ly/2YLFC9e. You can also learn more about The Mitchell Institute and their objective by visiting their website: https://mitchell.tamu.edu
