For amateur star gazers, Rockbridge County offers a number of locations with a low-light pollution night sky where on clear nights, the heavens seem so close you can reach out and touch them.
Last year, after a three-year effort, Natural Bridge State Park achieved Dark Sky Park designation by the International Dark Sky Association. This requires lighting in the park to be reduced or eliminated to comply with IDSA’s tough requirement.
Jefferson Point, a high spot in the park has a 300-degree view of the night sky, with low horizons for unimpeded viewing. The park has three 10-inch telescopes for special nighttime events. For more information and a schedule of upcoming Dark Sky events at the park, go to https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/natural-bridge.
Other good sites are on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the eastern border of the county. Many overlooks offer parking and areas where you can set up a telescope, or just throw down a blanket, lie down and look up! Here’s a link to a website that will predict cloud cover, clarity and weather for a site on the Parkway near the southern border of the county: http://cleardarksky.com/c/BlRdgAC1VAkey.html?1
Other areas in the county, at some of the areas more rural B&Bs in particular, should have good sky watching.
Meteor showers are a favorite time for star gazers. For 2024, here are the major showers and the dates when they are at their peak: Lyrids, night of April 22-23; Eta Aquarids, night of May 5-6; Perseids, night of August 12-13; Orionids, night of October 20-21; Leonids, night of November 18-19; Geminids, night of December 13-14. To see more about these showers, go to https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar.
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