WEEKEND: Scope the sky! Free astronomy programs continue at Hurricane Ridge

Published 12:01 am Sunday, August 9, 2015

NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Aug. 7.

PORT ANGELES — John Goar is continuing his free astronomy programs with telescopes at Hurricane Ridge, one of the best light-restricted “dark sky” sites on the Peninsula 17 miles up a paved road from Port Angeles in Olympic National Park.

He also will lead two more evening hikes for stargazers.

Known as the park’s volunteer “astro-VIP,” Goar is a math and science teacher in Kingston and a member of the Bremerton-based Olympic Astronomical Society.

He is certified by the U.S. Astronomical League as a Master Observer.

His programs last about an hour.

Using the telescopes, he shows the ringed planet Saturn and its moons, other planets and stars, globular star cluster M13, the Ring Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy.

Meet Goar at the Ridge’s visitor center on these dates and times:

■ Tonight and nightly through Friday night, Aug. 14, 10 p.m.

■ Saturday night, Aug. 15, and nightly through Tuesday night, Aug. 18, 9:45 p.m.

■ Thursday night, Sept. 3, and nightly through Sunday, Sept. 6, and Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12, at 9 p.m.

The viewings Aug. 15 and Sept. 12 include a “star party” by Olympic Astronomical Society members “who will be happy for the public to look through their telescopes,” Goar says.

If skies are cloudy, Goar’s program are canceled.

For program status, phone the recorded Hurricane Ridge Road hotline at 360-565-3131 after 4 p.m. the day of the program.

“Dress warmly,” says Goar, noting that the visitor center is situated at 5,242 feet.

Full moon hikes

In addition, you can explore the star-filled summer night with Goar with his “Full Moon Hikes” to Hurricane Hill.

The hikes, which are 3 miles round trip, will depart from the Hurricane Hill trailhead, 1.5 miles past the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, and Saturday, Aug. 29.

(Two previous hikes were last weekend.)

“Please wear sturdy shoes,” says Goar. “A constellation tour will occur at the top of Hurricane Hill.”

Like the telescope programs, the hikes will be canceled if it is cloudy.

Check the recorded road hotline after 4 p.m. the day of the hike.

While the programs are free, there is a $20-per-carload entrance fee to Olympic National Park (good for seven days) for those who do not already have a $40 annual park pass.

For more information, visit www.olympictelescope.com.