Night Sky Tour

Suppose you had a clear, moonless night. How many stars could you see with the eye alone? If you step outside at night from a bright room, you won't see many stars at first. It takes up to 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark. Considering all the stars visible to the eye alone, approximately 2,500 to 5,000 stars would be visible from Earth's night side. A fraction of those would be lost in the haze and city pollution on your horizon, and even on a moonless night the glow of lights from Earth's surface brightens the sky. Under absolutely perfect conditions of darkness and sky clarity, a young to middle-aged person with normal vision should be able to see at least a thousand stars. Perry's Victory is a great place to learn about and enjoy the splendor of the night sky. At 317 feet you'll experience a unique adventure in stargazing. The tour starts at the Visitor Center with a program given by NASA Solar System Ambassador Gene Zajac about the night sky and what you will see, including 3 planets with the naked eye. The group then heads to the Memorial, where visitors who missed the program can join up as well. Viewing from the observation deck ends at 10:00 p.m., and the total length of the tour is 2 hours and 30 minutes.