September ESP Newsletter Current Sky Map
Interested in learning how to use your telescope? Want to learn more about how to stargaze from your backyard? Want to spend some quality time under truly dark skies learning about astronomy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then come out to the Earth to Sky Park's Astronomy Club! Even if you don't have your own telescope, but are interested in astronomy or are interested in finding out what kind of telescope to purchase, you are welcome!
The Astronomy Club is FREE and will take place at the telescope stations around the Bare Dark Sky Observatory. Please note that there is no access to the telescopes in the observatory during the meeting.
The Earth to Sky Park Astronomy Club will meet once a month, with the day determined by the moon phases. In the event of clouds or inclement weather, the club will meet in the lobby of the Visitor Center.
Access to the telescopes in the observatory building is only open for ticketed events. Tickets are required to be purchased in advance through Eventbrite
For questions, email observatory@mayland.edu or call the Visitor Center at 828-470-7584
2025 - 2026 - Astronomy Club Schedule:
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| The Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31 | Our Home Galaxy, the Milky Way | |||
| This is the nearest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy, at nearly 2.5 million light-years away!
This image is the product of 120 two-minute images stacked and processed. It was taken by Sean McDonald at his home in Burnsville, NC, using a 10” Ritchey Chretien telescope, a ZWO asi2600mc pro camera, on a Celestron CGXL mount, stacked in Astro Pixel Processor, and processed with Pixinsight / Topaz Labs / Photoshop. Thanks to the dark skies we have here, no light pollution filter was needed.
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Photo Information: Taken at the Mayland Earth to Sky Park, up top just outside of the Bare Dark Sky Observatory on July 23, 2022 at 3:41am.
Equipment and Processing Details:
Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm lens, 15mm, f2.8, ISO1250, 30 sec. exposure, Tracked with iOptron Sky Guider Pro. This shot is a Single photo, Edited in Lightroom.
Philip Kay is a nature and astronomy photographer and started this journey as an escape from his job and to have a break from the daily wear and tear of life. He is also a long-standing member of the Earth to Sky Park Astronomy Club
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