Geauga Park District’s Observatory Park in Montville Township is open daily 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. through Labor Day, then till 11 p.m. the rest of the year, and naturalists including “Astro-Nat” Chris Mentrek are eager to show you around your International Dark Sky Park!

For this summer’s overnight event, education programs, Astrotots, Elderberries, naturalist-led hikes and planetarium shows, registration is required. Those days at 10 a.m., you can visit www.geaugaparkdistrict.org under Programs & Activities and filter by Astronomy for details and online registration, or call 440-286-9516 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Nights Out in the Park outdoor movie nights this year include Disney’s “Encanto” (PG) on Saturday, July 22, and the classic “Singin’ in the Rain” on Saturday, August 12. Bring blankets, lawn chairs and refreshments of your own to make it an awesome evening under these internationally renowned dark skies. Films begin at dusk, and move indoors in inclement weather; watch our website or social media for updates.

 The evening of Friday, August 11, sign up to stay late or spend the night to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower during the Meteors & Moths Overnight Event – the one night when tent camping is allowed at Observatory Park, with peak meteor time between 1 and 3 a.m.! Cool moths will be attracted to our black light and mercury vapor lamps, too, so you can help sample and survey nocturnal wildlife. See our website listing for camping guidelines. A naturalist will be on hand from sunset to sunrise.

Guided night sky viewing is scheduled the following Fridays and Saturdays: July 14, 15, 28 and 29, August 25 and 26, and September 8, 9, 22 and 23 (naturalist-led), as well as July 22, August 19 and September 16 at Nassau Astronomical Station (Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society volunteer-led).

Astronomy education on Friday evenings will be offered onsite September 8 (Cleveland’s Cosmic Connections), while similar virtual programs will be presented via Zoom on the following Friday evenings: July 28 (Amazing Exoplanets), August 25 (Finding Black Holes) and September 22 (Cleveland’s Cosmic Connections).

Naturalist hikes here are scheduled this summer for Tuesday, August 1 (The Sturgeon Moon), Saturday, August 5 (Hound Hike), Wednesday, August 30 (Full Moon Hike: The Blue Moon), and Friday, September 29 (China’s Moon Festival).

Area scouts have special opportunities to enjoy and appreciate this park during the following Scout Days: Boy Scouts’ Astronomy Merit Badge Workshop (July 25), Bear Scouts’ Fur, Feathers & Ferns Adventure (August 5), Brownies’ Bugs Badge (August 5), and Junior Girl Scouts’ Flowers Badge (September 23).

 To enjoy programs exploring the possibility of life beyond Earth this summer, young people ages 3– 5 with an adult can sign up for Astrotots on August 25 or 26, and young people ages 6 to 11 with an adult can sign up for Astrotots XL on August 26. Also, teens entering grades 8 through 10 can partake in an X-TREME Evening Adventure on August 2, and seniors can sign up to attend a special Elderberries: Astronomy Night on September 21.

And last but certainly not least, “Astro-Nat” Chris presents his awesome The Sky Tonight Planetarium Shows on Sundays, July 30, August 27 and September 24, during two time slots each day. Bring the whole family to see what you can see on a dark night simply by looking up.

Geauga Park District’s mobile-friendly website is available 24/7 to learn more about Observatory Park, its features and its trails totaling almost four miles. By all means, enjoy!

For more on Geauga Park District offerings, please call 440-286-9516 or visit Geauga Park District online via www.geaugaparkdistrict.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.