Dark Skies in North Central Texas
A state permitting clear perception and understanding; the area that may be seen distinctly or resolved into a clear image.

Located in the heart of ranch country in north central Texas, the town of Crowell is home to the sciences side of the Three Rivers Foundation for the Arts and Sciences (3RF). This private, non-profit foundation conducts astronomy education and outreach. Although programs can take volunteers and staff across the state of Texas, the main focus of programming is the area within a 100-mile radius of Crowell.

Throughout the year, monthly public stargazing events are hosted at 3RF’s Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus (CSAC). This 50-acre astronomy campus is located 14 miles west of Crowell, about 3.5 hours northwest of the Dallas area, in the heart of Texas ranch land and prairie wilderness. Although surrounded by many small towns and rural communities, it’s one of the darkest areas of the state. The campus consists of a large collection of world-class astronomy instruments, several observatory buildings, a star field for setting up individual scopes, plus a classroom with associated audio/video equipment. The showcase of the campus is a 15-inch refractor telescope, originally sited in Washington State.

In 2009, the Three Rivers Foundation will be celebrating the International Year of Astronomy along with partners in the United States, the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO. This global effort was initiated to help citizens rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky by engaging a personal sense of wonder and discovery.

Weather permitting, 3RF-scheduled IYA 2009 events at CSAC include the

  • GLOBE at Night in March
  • 100 Hours of Astronomy in April
  • the Great Star Count in October
  • and How Many Stars? throughout the rest of the year.

Workshops are planned in conjunction with these activities, giving the public an introduction to astronomy, and helping them learn the importance of the nighttime sky. Plans are also in place for:

  • She’s An Astronomer presentations in conjunction with Girl Scout programs scheduled in the spring and summer
  • Developing Astronomy Globally in conjunction with building a Galaxy Garden on the campus
  • and GalileoScope project with workshops about Galileo and the history of the telescope where participants can make their own simple refracting telescope.

In addition to astronomy, the 3RF Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus is home to a diverse selection of prairie wildlife, including more than 58 species of birds, deer, beavers, turtles and prairie dogs. Future plans include development of biology programming for K-5 students, and wildlife- and nature-conservancy education programs.

Over 13,000 people were served in 2008 by dedicated 3RF volunteers and staff, including over 8,000 public school students, many of them through astronomy-related programming. In 2009, 3RF plans to reach even more people, bringing them closer to the wonders of the universe.

3RF Public viewing and program dates at CSAC for 2009 (weather permitting):

  • Jan 31
  • Feb 7 & 28
  • March 7 & 28
  • Apr 4 & 25
  • May 2, 23, & 30
  • Jun 20 & 27
  • Jul 25; Aug 1, 22, & 29
  • Sep 19 & 26
  • October 17 & 24
  • Nov 14 & 21
  • Dec 12.

More information about the Three Rivers Foundation, as well as a calendar of events for 2009, can be found on the web at:  www.3rf.org

More information about the International Year of Astronomy 2009 can be found at: http://www.astronomy2009.org/

More information about the Galaxy Garden project can be found at http://www.galaxygarden.net/index.html