Hiking, Astronomy & Stargazing with Telescopes at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center + Dinner!

IN A NUTSHELL:  Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (CEWC) is a gorgeous 6400-acre GA DNR nature preserve about an hour's drive east of Atlanta. On this unique AOC outing we'll begin with a couple of hours of easy to moderate afternoon hiking, then join the Trip Leader's friends from the Atlanta Astronomy Club (AAC) for their delicious quarterly "potluck dinner" followed by an informal after-dinner meeting and perhaps an astronomy movie.  We'll then enjoy an exciting observing session with the AAC members and their telescopes (weather permitting) on the Wildlife Center's spacious dark-sky observing field. If it turns out to be overcast or showery we'll still have fun doing the hike and indoor festivities, but may have to postpone the observing until a future month.

A popular destination for hikers, "Charlie Elliott" boasts more than 10 miles of well marked forested trails that loop around its lovely lakes and granite outcrops.  Its dark unpolluted nighttime skies make it also a favorite place for stargazers and astronomy buffs.

Each month amateur astronomers from the "Charlie Elliott Chapter" of the Atlanta Astronomy Club (AAC) hold a late-afternoon indoor meeting at the Charlie Elliott Conference Center, then just before dusk set up their telescopes in the nearby observing field and aim them skyward, weather permitting.  "CE" astronomers encourage non-members to attend these free sessions to learn more about astronomy and to share telescopic views of heavenly wonders, both in our own Milky Way galaxy and far beyond it.  Tips on basic "skygazing" and "star-hopping" tours of the universe are offered for those who are interested in observing planets, comets, deep-sky objects, eclipses, etc. on their own. Telescopes and binoculars are great tools for this, and an equally miraculous stargazing instrument - the naked eye! - can be the best choice for viewing constellations, bright stars, meteor showers and other awesome sky phenomena!

WHEN & WHERE?  If you prefer drive directly to CEWC, or instead feel free to carpool, meeting me and other carpoolers at 2:15 PM in NE Atlanta for the ~1-hour drive to CEWC.  Our direct-drivers and carpoolers will all gather at 3:30 PM at the CEWC Visitor Center.  See detailed Directions below for both driving options, and for a zoomable map or satellite view of the CEWC spot where we'll all gather, click on the rectangular blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article. 

AFTERNOON HIKING, DINNER & "INDOOR ASTRONOMY":  After introducing one another at 3:30 PM on the Visitor Center front porch we'll enjoy a nice leisurely 2-hour hike on CEWC's lovely "Red, Yellow and Blue" trails (about 4 miles). Then at 6:00 PM we'll join our hosts for their quarterly Potluck Dinner in the nearby CEWC Conference Center. Please plan to bring a small food item of your choice to contribute - see more below in "Items to Bring."  Their informal after-dinner meeting may include an astronomy movie and a lively discussion of  "What's Up in the Night Sky?" (interesting things to observe this month). 

OUR NIGHTTIME OBSERVING SESSION will begin at about 7:30 PM, weather permitting. We'll car-caravan from the Conference Center about 1/2 mile back up the road to the sign for "Jon Wood Astronomy Field."  We'll park along the shoulder of Elliott Trail, then walk up the short gravel road into the field.  No white light is permitted but each participant may bring a small red-LED headlamp or flashlight (which preserves our night vision) - see more below in "Items to Bring."  If the weather cooperates we'll enjoy a fascinating observing session with our friendly CEAstronomy.org hosts who will treat us to views of the heavens through a variety of nice telescopes and binoculars.  We're each encouraged to stroll around, chat with the astronomers and take a look at whatever amazing objects they may be focused on.  We can also enjoy a "sky tutorial" on the constellations and planets that are visible to the naked eye.  Everyone is welcome to stay as late as you like at this Saturday night telescopic (+ naked eye & binocular) session.

About 10:30 PM is a suggested appropriate departure time, but each driving party should feel free to leave at any time.  Some of the Club's more serious astronomers may continue observing as late as dawn Sunday morning—so if you prefer, stay up late with them and return home "after the rooster crows!"

FOR MORE on the CHARLIE ELLIOTT WILDLIFE CENTER click the following link.  (Then for a a color Trail Map click "Hiking" and for a color map of the entire CE Wildlife Center vicinity click the word "here" just above where you see "Hiking," "Fishing,"etc.)
http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/694

FOR MORE about the CHARLIE ELLIOTT CHAPTER of the ATLANTA ASTRONOMY CLUB click this link:
http://ceastronomy.org/blog/home

OUR SPECIAL THANKS! to Jeff Rebitzke, who is active both as a Charlie Elliott astronomer and as an AOC member, for arranging this special invitation and for helping plan and organize our AOC participation.

DIRECTIONS from ATANTA'S EAST-SIDE I-20/ I-285 INTERCHANGE to CHARLIE ELLIOTT WILDLIFE CENTER: (It's about a 42-mile, 50-minute drive from that I-20 Interchange to the venue.  For a zoomable map or satellite view of the CEWC parking lot & porch where we'll gather, click on the rectangular blue & green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.

1. From the east-side I-20/I-285 Interchange take I-20 East toward Augusta for about 31 miles and exit to your Right at Exit #98, "GA-11".

2. Turn Right onto GA-11 (toward Monticello) and go straight ahead about 9.5 miles to its junction with Marben Farm Road. (En route you'll pass through the town of Mansfield.  When you near the Marben Farm Rd junction look for the "Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center" directional sign on your left.)

3. Turn Left onto Marben Farm Road and go 1.0 mile to Elliott Trail.

4. Turn Right onto Elliott Trail and go 0.5 mile to the Visitor Center parking lot.  At 3:30 PM our AOC hiking + astronomy group will rendezvous with one another on the covered porch of the Visitor Center building just outside the main entrance doors.

5.  At about 5:45 PM (after our hike) we'll car-caravan about 300 yards beyond the Visitor Center to the indoor CEAstronomy.org Potluck Dinner & Indoor Meeting/Program at the "CONFERENCE CENTER." (It's usually in Conf. Room "B," the next-to-last building at the "very end" of Elliott Trail.)  After that session we'll car-caravan about 1/2 mile in the other direction and park along the shoulder of Elliott Trail for the "Jon Wood Astronomy Field" stargazing & telescopic observing session  (weather permitting).

HERE'S a suggested GPS DESTINATION ADDRESS for those of us who use GPS Navigation or GOOGLE.com/maps. (Feel free to use in conjunction with the above directions.)  
ADDRESS: Elliott Trail, Shady Dale, GA 31085
LAT/LON COORDINATES: 33.4628,-83.7338

No Charge—Free event with Free parking!

In fairness to those who may be wait-listed, if and when you find that you cannot attend this event for whatever reason, please go ASAP to the bottom of this online article and "Delete your Registration," and if it's within 2 or 3 days of the event please also email the Trip Leader to that effect so others can be invited from the wait list. Thanks!

For hiking/astronomy events at Charlie Elliott we normally go ahead with them rain or shine. In the event of cloudiness we can still enjoy hiking, the wildlife museum and the indoor astronomy program, plus of course the fun of being together in such a beautiful place.