December 2021
Star Gazing Guide

Bare Dark Sky Observatory
Mayland Earth to Sky Park
Greetings Fellow Star Gazers!
Due to the popularity of the stargazing guides we sent out during the early days of Covid, we have decided to reintroduce them in an effort to provide continual dark sky education and tell you about things going on in the night sky that you can see from you homes. Below are some events to look up for to close out the year!
December 18th Full Cold Moon – Just before midnight, check out the Full Cold Moon around 11:37pm. While this moon is not a supermoon, it is our closest satellite which makes moongazing spectacular. And remember to bundle up, it might just be cold outside!
Photo credit: Farmer's Almanac
December 21st Winter has finally settled in and is upon us. The official arrival time begins tonight at 10:59 am EST. It’s the moment that the earth makes it long tilting journey back towards the sun in the Northern Hemisphere. The winter solstice is the 24-hour period with the least amount of sunlight for the Northern Hemisphere, which means days begin to grow longer and continue until the summer solstice begins on June 21, 2022.
Photo credit: NASA
December 22nd: Finally, the very long-awaited and anticipated James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to launch December 22nd. Additional testing has confirmed its readiness and the JWST looks cleared for launch 7:20 am EST. The crew was given the “consent to fuel” on Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 25). Fueling time will take around ten days for the million-mile journey. The James Web Space Telescope will be the Hubble’s photography heir apparent. Stay tuned as we release more information on this amazing feat of aerospace engineering. Photo Credit: artist rendering from the European Space Agency 
New Events at the Bare Dark Sky Observatory!
Starting in February 2022
Moonlit Adventures - a one hour moongazing event where visitors can get an in-depth look at the moon using different filters, learn about craters and canyons, and moon folklore. Tickets $12 for adults and $5 for kids

Thursday Night Community Viewing Nights - You've requested and we've listened! We will now be offering a 3rd night of community viewing at the Observatory.

Moon Madness Nights Continue - Spend two hours not only exploring the moon, but also planets and nebulas that are still in view when the moon is bright.
Gift Certificates are Available!

Gift certificates make a wonderful last minute gift or stocking stuffer! You can purchase a gift certificate for a private 2 hour star gazing experience ($300) or for tickets to a community viewing night ($5-$20). Gift certificates do not expire.

To purchase a gift certificate email us at [email protected]
Glenn & Carol Arthur Planetarium Update
Thanks to the many generous donations and the matching gift campaign, we raised over $190,000 towards the completion of the planetarium. The matching campaign will continue through December 31st, so your gift will be matched 2:1
The interior projection dome is scheduled to be installed at the end of January! We are reaching the home stretch. Muralist Matt Willey of The Good of the Hive will be back in March to complete his mural on the exterior of the building.
Keep Looking UP! 
The Space Rangers at the
Bare Dark Sky Observatory