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Environment
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Ohio's darkest park
Observatory Park, east of Chardon, designated one of eight International Dark Sky Parks in the country
by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA |
Reporter
Kabir Bhatia | | |
 | | Observatory Park's walkway features a sundial embedded in the center | | Courtesy of K. Bhatia |
It may sound ominous to be designated an “International Dark Sky Park,” but Observatory Park east of Chardon is one of just eight places in the country to be officially recognized as a prime spot for star gazing. WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports. |
Minimum light pollution
It's officially the darkest corner of Northeast Ohio. Sitting on more than 1,000 acres, Observatory Park is one of the newest dark sky parks, which means light pollution is at a minimum.
Geauga Park District naturalists Wayne Kriynovich and Dotty Mathiott explain. “The Park District has worked with residents and business in the communities to have the light pointing down. Just very effective methods to make the sky as dark as possible. As an example, on clear nights you CAN see the Milky Way.”
“It’s also a rural part of Geauga County, so a lot of the residents of the area just don’t have the lights that we would have in a place that is much more populated,” said Mathiott.
A two-year process
The park is one of just two east of the Mississippi recognized as optimal for astronomy. David Elkowitz of Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas says it took more than two years to even begin the application process, but it was worth the work for visitors of all species.
“It affects the patterns of wildlife, where they will walk or won’t walk. Even for people, the lights we had before… much of the light went up or out, and not to the ground where the light was actually needed. So it actually made a difference in terms of people being able to find their way and effectively use the park.”
A milky navy blue sky
Approaching Ohio’s Observatory Park on a visitor night last week, even the star-obliterating cloudy skies looked different than they did in the rest of Northeast Ohio… more of a milky navy blue.
Still, Charlie Knox of Chardon could point out the North Star – sort of.
“Well, the North Star is right there where we can’t see it because there’s a big cloud in the way. Looking at the sky at night gives you a real sense of your place in the world, and the world's place in the universe."
“If you can't see the stars at night, you don't realize how much else there is that's not in your immediate [area you can touch]. When you go out at night, and see the dim glow of the Milky Way, or you watch night to night and see the planets move, you get a real show. And it really shows you how you can see what Mr. Kepler and Mr. Copernicus had to do to figure out how our solar system goes around. Looking at the sky has driven science since men have been around.”
Monthy events
The Geauga Park District is also holding monthly events to show off the giant telescope donated by the family of renowned telescope-maker Norm Oberle of North Royalton. He was one of the founders of the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association, and at the time of his death in 1996 he was looking for a darker night sky under which to house his equipment. It’s still being fine-tuned, but eventually the RV-sized machine will peek toward the heavens through the observatory’s roof every other Friday.
Naturalist Kriynovich hopes visitors see stars through the telescope, AND see the value of astronomy. “Observatory Park is just an extension of the Geauga Parks District (mission) to preserve and protect nature. The sky is just another aspect of enjoying nature.”
Grand opening set
The observatory broke ground last year and its grand opening is this June. Until then, its seismic and weather stations are open daily along with a planetary trail -- a scale model of the solar system built along a one-mile path. |
(Click image for larger view.)
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