Bays Mountain Park is introducing a new planetarium show, Big Astronomy, beginning Monday next week and running through the end of the year. The program will be shown at the Park’s Planetarium Theater Tuesday through Friday at 4 p.m., and on weekends at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. It highlights observatories in Chile’s Andes Mountains and Atacama Desert, presenting the southern hemisphere’s night sky through advanced technology, according to the City of Kingsport’s official website.
The 45-minute show will also feature the work of astronomers, engineers, and technical staff who operate these observatories. The Zeiss ZKP4 star projector will be used to give an authentic view of the southern sky. Assistant Planetarium Director Jason Dorfman explained that the program offers a look at a part of the sky many visitors may not otherwise experience.
In addition to Big Astronomy, the planetarium will present Appalachian Skies on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. This live program focuses on constellations and planets visible in the local region and changes with the seasons, providing guests with guidance to identify astronomical features from their own area.
