Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium

Set just outside the heart of Washington DC lies Rock Creek Park, where we met the National Capital Astronomer for their stargazing night. This time our visit was for the small planetarium within its grounds, situated within the Nature Center. Entrance is free, and shows are put on twice a day at weekends - 1pm for all ages, 4pm for older children and upwards.

Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium

The small centre is the hub for the numerous activities that go on in the park, and as such it makes sense that the displays show visitors what is on offer when it comes to the flora and fauna. It is very tastefully done, laying out the variety of species in glass tanks or boxes with a good amount of information on the side. There is a touch table with furs and skeletons, and a sand pit for creating and learning about animal tracks.

The planetarium itself is the only one within the National Park Service, making it unique in that respect. It has had 3 systems in its 50 year lifespan, from the starball nicknamed George, to its successor, George II, to the newly digital Spitz projector nicknamed Seymour (because you can 'see more' with it...) which runs Starry Night. The sessions aren't led by astronomers, but by the park rangers who work with the Capital Astronomers to augment their knowledge of the sky.

The system itself is great, allowing you to visit various panoramas and zoom in items of interest in the sky. As you go from place to place, you lift off from where you are and then face the Earth as you travel above it. I visited Stonehenge on the solstice before heading off to Taiwan for a look around the summer sky, and this was a treat to see how the Earth moved beneath. It also has the functionality to observe from various craters on the Moon and Mars, along with other planets in the Solar System.

The session was very informal, informative and fun; it wasn't a lecture, it was an intimate visit to the night sky and the stories contained within. Afterwards I was even allowed to drive the desk for a bit, because they are always open to meeting fellow planetarians from across the globe. This is neither a big centre nor a big planetarium, but it serves to introduce the sky and park to whomsoever drops by, and it does a good job at that.