(3-Adult) Enjoy activities including guided star gazing, looking through the telescope, and listening to ancient stories about the constellations around the campfire. Participate in other activities and games throughout the evening. Hot chocolate included with price of registration. Canceled if raining or snowing.

This program satisfies most of the requirements to earn the badge. Scouts must complete all prework before the start of class. Pre-work and program details available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/scouts. Scouts unable to complete all requirements may receive partial credit from their merit badge counselor.

Satisfies most of the requirements to earn the badge. See site’s website for details.

(5-9 yrs.) This patch will help you understand the importance of dark skies and how you can protect this resource. You will learn about light pollution, see the effect of light pollution yourself, learn how you can make changes to reduce light pollution, and share what you have learned with others. This program was made possible by support from the Fairfax County Park Foundation. Patch included.

This program meets all the requirements to earn the badge.

(8-Adult) Explore planets orbiting distant stars and learn how scientists find them using cool techniques like watching stars flicker or wobble. Dive into what these planets are made of, whether they could host life and catch up on the latest discoveries. Perfect for anyone curious about space, this course promises an eye-opening adventure into the exploration of planets beyond our own. The course is held rain or clear skies in the Roll-Top Observatory at Turner Farm Park.

(8-Adult) The inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, plus Earth’s Moon, all have mostly rocky compositions compared to the outer gas giant planets. Of the inner planets, likely only Earth has the conditions to support life. Examining handheld globes of the planets, we will explore their similarities and differences and find out why life is unique to Earth. The program includes observing of planets and the night sky in telescopes, weather permitting. The program is held rain or clear skies in the Roll-Top Observatory at Turner Farm Park.

(8-Adult) This course provides a general introduction to some fundamentals of astronomy and the universe. We will discuss the basic types of astronomical objects from the small to the large, the motions of planets and stars, and interesting phenomena in the night sky. A classroom discussion is followed by an observatory session with telescopes, weather permitting. The course is held rain or clear skies in the Roll-Top Observatory at Turner.

(8-Adult) Take a tour of planets, constellations, stars, nebulas and galaxies in the night sky at Turner Farm Observatory Park using telescopes or just your eyes. In case of inclement weather, we will discuss and show images of objects that could be observed in clear skies. No knowledge of astronomy is needed. The course is held rain or clear skies in the Roll-Top Observatory at Turner Farm Park.

(6-Adult) This program is a tour of the planets and moons of our Solar System which are viewable in the current night sky. The classroom discussion is followed by an observatory session of planets and the stars beyond in telescopes, weather permitting. No knowledge of astronomy is needed, just an interest in learning about the universe. The course is held rain or clear skies in the Roll-Top Observatory at Turner Farm Park. Children must be accompanied by an adult also registered in the program.

Calling all girl scouts and cub scouts to the Observatory Park at Turner Farm for a night under the stars! At this event, scouts will visit stations where they will complete crafts and activities to fulfill requirements for astronomy-related badges. Most requirements will be fulfilled during this workshop and should only take about 1.5 hours to complete but scouts may stay for the full duration of the event. Badges covered include: Space Science Badges from Daisies to Juniors, Daisy/Brownie Dark Sky Patch, and Tiger Scouts: Sky is the Limit.