The event is a non-profit, three-day, astronomical convention/star gathering hosted by the Bays Mountain Astronomy Club and Bays Mountain Planetarium.

The event is October 27-29, 2017 and will be filled with all sorts of astronomical treats!

The event is held at Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium, a City-owned park with 3,550 acres of nature preserve. We’ll be at the peak of fall colors and the air should be dry. What better way to spend a wonderful, long weekend!

The theme is “Stellar Places” and we have four great keynote speakers lined up:

Friday Night: Mitzi Adams; Solar Scientist; NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Title: “The Sun: A Star to Study in Our Backyard”

Saturday Morning: John Debes; Team Lead – Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph; Space Telescope Science Institute
Title: “Planetary Tales from the Stellar Crypt: Exoplanets Surviving the Death of their Host Star”

Saturday Evening: Glenn Schneider; Astronomer and EXCEDE Project Principal Investigator; Steward Observatory and the Department of Astronomy
Title: “In Quest of Astronomical Shadows: On Earth, in our Solar System, and Beyond”

Sunday Morning: Sean S. Lindsay; Astronomy Coordinator; UT Knoxville
Title: “Baking the Solar System: Our Modern Thoughts on How Our Solar System Formed”

Five scrumptious meals are slated with yummy vegetarian options. A unique, custom T-shirt is included with registration.

You can sleep on Park premises at no extra cost. A discounted rate is also offered for the 4+ star MeadowView Marriott Resort located just down the road from the Park.

Planetarium shows, observing, and much more!

Registration is $125 per person and includes entrance, speakers, meals, all activities, T-shirt, and more. There is a generous discount offered for children and students. Registration closes on October 6, 2017 or if we fill up early.

Pre-registration is mandatory.

http://www.baysmountain.com/astronomy/astronomy-club/?GTTabs=5

Contact Adam Thanz for more information – AdamThanz@KingsportTN.gov