Star Stories Nature Program

With a forecast of a new moon in the sky, Hannibal Parks & Recreation is sponsoring a star watching program at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 in Riverview Park.

Star Stories will be in Frisbee Field, the open grassy area beyond the four-way stop at Riverview Park.

There will be a backup date of Sept. 20 if there are cloudy skies.

Participants will be introduced to using a star chart and how to find some of the main constellations and planets visible this time of year. Gale Rublee, nature educator for Hannibal Parks & Recreation will be explaining how constellations are connected to characters in Greek Mythology.

“Looking up at a night sky filled with stars, planets, and distant galaxies makes us realize, in one instant, earth is one very small part of a much larger system. It’s magnificent, mysterious and humbling all at the same time. Humans have always been awed by the stars and tried to make sense of their place in the vastness of space. Simply beginning to notice how the stars rotate throughout the year or connecting a few stories to the constellations makes finding our bearings at night a little more fun.”

Rublee encourages participants to bring chairs or blankets and binoculars in possible.