By Waymon Cox
Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park!
On Saturday, March 16 at 8 p.m., all ages are invited to come to the campground amphitheater for an evening under the stars! Guest astronomer Rick Floyd will share his knowledge of the night sky, along with fascinating photos of the moon, stars, nebulae, and more that he has taken.
Like many of us, Mr. Floyd first became interested in astronomy as a child, when he asked Santa for a telescope one year for Christmas. As he grew older and acquired a deeper love of space, he began taking pictures through his telescopes, to share captivating celestial scenes with family and friends.
On many nights, Mr. Floyd can still be found photographing the night sky or looking up at the stars. He participates in photographic research of deep space and regularly contributes observations to citizen science projects. Mr. Floyd enjoys sharing his love for astronomy with others and helping them learn how they can stargaze from their own backyards.
Awesome Astronomy is free to attend. Participants should dress for the outdoors, and bring a flashlight to use after the program. Mr. Floyd will also have telescopes set up to answer questions and help others get started in the exciting pastimes of astronomy and astrophotography.
Because this is an outdoor program, it may be cancelled in the event of rain. For more information, contact Crater of Diamonds State Park at (870) 285-3113. Join us for an astronomical evening, and learn about what’s out there during Awesome Astronomy on March 16!
Search area last plowed: Feb. 1
Most recent significant rain: Feb. 24
Diamond finds
100 points = 1 carat
Feb. 12 – Ted L. Podlewski, Granger, Iowa, 29 pt. white
Feb. 14 – John Heiken, Paradise, Calif., 4 pt. white
Feb. 16 – Nathaniel Paigen, Oregon, Ill., 2 pt. white, 7 pt. white, 19 pt. white; Jason Barr, Ft Campbell, Ky., 9 pt. white
Feb. 18 – Maggie McBrayer, Calhoun, Ga., 2 pt. white, 9 pt. white, 15 pt. brown
Feb. 23 – Anthony Bryan, Barling, Ark., 79 pt. white; David McBrayer, Calhoun, Ga., 9 pt. white
