Find the stories written in the stars at these low-light spots
On those rare nights of city power outages, much of our immediate human connection disappears. No lights to see the person right in front of us and little signal to reach faraway family and friends. But under the dark skies, we can suddenly reach people across time and space. When the stars shine down, constellations reflect the passing seasons and reveal the most ancient tales.
Here is what to look for in the sky this fall, plus experts’ favorite stargazing spots around the Upstate.
Celestial stories
Each fall brings the return of Perseus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Pegasus, and Cetus. According to ancient Greek myth, princess Andromeda was rescued by the hero Perseus after she was sacrificed to the sea monster Cetus by her parents, queen Cassiopeia and king Cepheus.
Stargazers may also catch a glimpse of Ursa Major (The Great Bear), the larger whole of The Big Dipper. The hunter Orion returns his autumnal chase across the Northern skies with his trusty companion Canis Major, the Big Dog.
The seasonal meteor showers of the fall and winter include the Orionids shower on October 21-23, the Leonids on November 17-18, and the Geminids on December 13-14. These showers earn their name from the constellation they appear to radiate from, Roper Mountain Science Center’s planetarium specialist Maggie Connelly explains. This year, the Geminids are expected to skate across the entire sky.
But these celestial bodies are hard to see through Greenville’s haze of city lights. The key to seeing stars and other celestial bodies is locating darker skies. Skies are measured using the Bortle scale, level one being the darkest skies with the most visibility and level nine being the most light-polluted skies.
Stargazing Spots
Connelly recommends Sassafras Mountain in Pickens for stellar viewing. Sassafras Mountain is the highest point in South Carolina, allowing for great dark-sky views from its observation tower. She also notes that Cherokee Scenic Highway and Blue Ridge Parkway have great spots to pull off and stargaze.
A little farther afield is Mayland Earth to Sky Park in Burnsville, North Carolina. Connelly recommends Mayland because its skies are at level two on the Bortle scale, allowing for a clearer view of the Milky Way without needing any equipment.
For more dark sky views, journey a little further out into The Dark Corner, where South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia meet, as recommended by Furman University astrophysics professor Dr. David Moffett. What was once a hideaway for moonshiners and pioneers is now a site of some of the darkest skies in the state.
However, to truly shake off the urban haze, Moffett says to travel west of Mississippi. He recalls his time spent in the southwest where just a short drive out of the city allowed for a clear view of the Milky Way. He recommends the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, as well as the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona.
All you need are your eyes for basic stargazing. Connelly recommends using a stargazing app on your smartphone as a tool for identifying stars, constellations, and other celestial objects. While you can also use binoculars for stargazing, telescopes are much better for seeing further into space. Moffett says he brings a powerful laser pointer with him when teaching classes or events as a way to point out specific things in the sky for everyone to see.
To make contact with other star-seekers and dive deeper into astronomy, attend Friday Starry Nights at Roper Mountain Science Center’s Planetarium or reach out to the Roper Mountain Astronomers club for educational events and star parties.
Find out more about Roper Mountain Science Center at ropermountain.org and Roper Mountain Astronomers at rmastro.com.
