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Archive for Houston Museum of Natural Science

Healthy Living Houston: The Stars at Night are Big and Bright

Posted by Dr. Gary Brewton, MD on
 August 1, 2014
  · No Comments
Dramatic composite photograph of Perseid Meteor Shower activity in 2010. Image courtesy Michael Menefee.

Dramatic composite photograph of Perseid Meteor Shower activity in 2010. Image courtesy Michael Menefee.

The stars at night are big and bright
Deep in the heart of Texas
The prairie sky is wide and high
Deep in the heart of Texas

Yes, that’s how the song goes, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, the truth is most of the time in Houston you can’t see many stars at all due to pervasive light pollution.

But did you know that there’s an observatory open to the public just an hour south of town where you can see those stars at night, big and bright? We bet you haven’t heard of it. In fact, most Houstonians have never heard of the George Observatory, even though it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Our Healthy Living Houston Activity for August: Get Out and See Texas’ Stars at Night.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science (our neighbor across the street in here in the Museum District) operates the George Observatory, located about an hour south of downtown Houston, inside the boundaries of Brazos Bend State Park.

We recommend you get out of town and enjoy some fresh air in the park and take in some stargazing during some of the interesting astronomical events coming up. These two videos from NASA will give you a good overview of what you’ll be able to see in the August skies.

August’s Perseid Meteor Shower is a Great Time to Visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s George Observatory

The free Planets app for iOS devices like iPhones and iPads is a helpful learning tool.

The free Planets app for iOS devices like iPhones and iPads is a helpful learning tool.

 

There will be a special stargazing event the evening of Tuesday August 12 from 7 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. to watch the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, so you might want to check that out.

Saturdays nights during the summer are also a good bet as local astronomy club members will be available to chat with you about stargazing.

If you have an iPhone, you might also want to download the free ‘Planets’ app for iOS devices like iPhones and iPads.

It’s a very useful tool for learning about astronomy and it will help you get the most out of visiting the George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park.

Just point your iPhone up towards the sky and the app identifies which stars and planets are visible from your location.

Other Things to See and Do When Visiting Brazos Bend State Park

The Houston Museum of Natural Science’s George Observatory is just one of the attractions within Brazos Bend State Park.

Spanish Moss on Live Oak trees at Brazos Bend State Park, home of the Houston Museum of Natural Science's George Observatory. © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Spanish Moss on Live Oak trees at Brazos Bend State Park, home of the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s George Observatory. © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

With more than 5,000 acres, Brazos Bend State Park offers Houstonians nearby access to biking, horseback riding, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, birding, camping and of course, stargazing. The park is situated on the west bank of the Brazos River. It preserves some of the original coastal prairie as well as hardwood forests and marshes, making it an important bird refuge. More than 300 different species have been seen in the park. The Nature Center and Gift Shop are open on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Brazos Bend State Park Entrance Fees

Adults and children over 12 years old are $7 per person; children under 12 are free.

American Alligator at Brazos Bend State Park. Photo courtesy Brian Frazier, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

American Alligator at Brazos Bend State Park. Photo courtesy Brian Frazier, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Tickets for the George Observatory Telescopes are Sold On-Site, on a First-Come First-Served Basis

Once you are inside Brazos Bend State Park, you can drive to the parking area for the George Observatory. It’s a good ten or twenty minute walk to the observatory station; the walk takes you past a large, picturesque lagoon. With so much water around, we recommend wearing long pants, socks and maybe even long-sleeved shirts at dusk to fend off mosquitoes. Bring some Deet-based mosquito repellant as well.

Tickets to view through the big telescopes at the George Observatory are sold on a first-come, first-served basis in the George Observatory Gift Shop, located in the lower level. Telescope tickets cost $5 per person, and they are well worth it. It’s a good idea to bring cash in case there are problems with their credit card machine.

Combine Your Trip to the George Observatory with an Afternoon Visit to the Varner-Hogg Plantation

If you want to make a full day trip, you could start your outdoor adventure at the Varner-Hogg Plantation, which is located 20 miles further south. (See our related article for tips on touring the Varner-Hogg Plantation, Ima Hogg’s family home.)

After visiting the childhood home of Houston’s patron of the arts, Ima Hogg, you can head back north to discover the Brazos Bend State Park in the late afternoon and then stay into the evening for stargazing at the George Observatory. Or you can turn it into an overnight trip if you want to camp at one of Brazos Bend’s campsites.

Useful Links

Houston Museum of Natural Science George Observatory: Saturday Night Star Gazing

Houston Museum of Natural Science George Observatory: Special Perseid Event

Brazos Bend State Park Volunteer Organization:  www.brazosbend.org (website)

Texas Parks and Wildlife:  Brazos Bend State Park (website)

Texas Parks and Wildlife:  Brazos Bend State Park Activity Guide (PDF)

 

Categories : 2014-08 August Newsletter, Healthy Living Houston, Houston Museum District, Newsletter, Outdoor Activities
Tags : Houston Museum of Natural Science

Healthy Living Houston: Visit Our Parks Along the Bay

Posted by Dr. Gary Brewton, MD on
 July 2, 2014
  · No Comments
doctor-gary-brewton-houston-physician-galveston-island-sunset

Dr. Anne Hecht, a Texas Master Naturalist, recommends discovering our bays, bayous and estuaries as our healthy outdoor activity for this time of year. Sunset on Galveston Island, photo by Brent Blackett

This month we got in touch with Dr. Anne Hecht, a Texas Master Naturalist, to get her recommendations about healthy outdoor activities for this time of year.

Anne had three great suggestions, all of them related to discovering our coastal bays and bayous.

Galveston Island State Park

First on Anne’s list is Galveston Island State Park (GISP). What’s particularly special about this park for nature lovers is it spans a full cross-section of west Galveston Island —  from Galveston Bay on the north to the Gulf of Mexico on the south. Admission is $5 dollars per adult, 12 and under free.

If you want to learn about the bays and marshes, meet at the Nature Center at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings for a free bay walk tour (included with your $5 admission). If you want to learn about the beach, that tour is conducted on Saturdays, also starting at 10 a.m. at the Nature Center.

doctor-gary-brewton-houston-physician-galveston-island-state-park-2

Seining demonstration on the bay at Galveston Island State Park. Photo by Nathan Veatch.

New to GISP is a “Car/Hike or Bike Tour” developed by Frank Bowser, who is an active member of The Friends of Galveston Island State Park. Frank made a guide map showing how you can navigate the two miles of paved roadway and the five miles of manicured grassland hiking trails. So get ready for a scenic walk — or bring your bike — to discover all the interesting wildlife in the prairie grasses, brackish marshes and seaside dunes. The map and the companion computer disc are available at the Ranger’s Desk at the entrance to the park.

If you want a guided kayak tour of the bay side, once again Frank Bowser is your man. Give him a call at 409-737-5567 and he’ll get you set up on a kayak tour. Launch times are timed to hit high tide, so that determines when you go out.

Artist Boat

Anne’s second suggestion is to get in touch with another group of outdoor enthusiasts who go by the name Artist Boat.

Artist Boat has a really cool concept: they take kayakers out into the waters of Galveston Bay for an art lesson (painting for example) under the supervision of certified kayaking instructors — who also happen have a professional background in science or art.

If you have no experience kayaking, don’t worry. Most first time Artist Boat participants don’t have any experience either.

doctor-gary-brewton-physician-houston-artist-boat-galveston-bay

Artist Boat offers an exciting way to discover Galveston Bay: you can go out in one of their kayaks for an art lesson (painting for example) under the supervision of certified kayaking instructors. Photo courtesy Artist Boat.

All the instruction and gear is included in the price of your tour, which ranges from $35 for a short two hour experience (not enough time for an art lesson) to $60 dollars per person for 4 hours, which includes an open air art lesson.

Not only is this great fun, it’s for a great cause too. Not that long ago one of the very last significant tracts of un-built land on Galveston’s West End was slated to be turned into a housing development.

But when those plans fell through due to the recession, Artist Boat was able join forces with other organizations to acquire a 160 acre parcel of coastal property on west Galveston Island to establish a new Coastal Heritage Preserve.

So when you support Artist Boat, you are also supporting a worthy cause that is protecting open space along Galveston Bay. You can friend Artist Boat on Facebook and see more photos of activities they have going on.

Armand Bayou Nature Center

Anne’s third suggestion is the Armand Bayou Nature Center, which is along the west side of Galveston Bay. At 2,500 acres, Armand Bayou is the largest urban wilderness preserve in the entire United States.

We can enjoy it today thanks to a visionary campaign started in the late 1960s by Mr Armand Yramategui, a Basque electrical engineer who ran the Burke Baker Planetarium at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, right across the street from our Museum District office. In 1970 Armand (he went by his first name) was tragically killed in a what we would today call a ‘carjacking’ incident. The preserve opened in 1974, and Middle Bayou was re-named Armand Bayou in his memory.

doctor-gary-brewton-houston-physician-armand-bayou-pelicans

Armand Bayou is the largest urban wilderness preserve in the entire United States with over 2,500 acres. Pelicans gather on a tree stump along the bayou. Image courtesy Wikimedia

Armand Bayou has been celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. They received a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to rejuvenate some of their hiking trails; this construction activity is nearly complete by now, but you might want to touch base with the office to get the latest details.

The three most popular trails– the Martyn Trail through the forest and along the bayou, the Prairie Interpretive Trail and the Discovery Loop Trail — will remain open during the construction work.

One great way to get an overview of the park is to ride the pontoon boat called the Bayou Ranger. These boat tours start early on Saturday mornings. Enjoy a light breakfast on board as you silently drift down the bayou and catch early morning activities of the park’s wildlife. The boat departs from Bay Area Park boat launch and costs $25 for adults. Become a member and save five dollars on your ticket. Make reservations at 281-474-2551 x10.

Another tip is visiting the park on the second Saturday of each month (next one coming up is July 12th, 2014) for two special programs: Photography and Canoeing

You can take a guided photography hike each second Saturday; the start times alternate between early morning and late afternoon. Reservations required, call 281-474-2551 x10 for more information.

You can also take a guided canoe trip (8 a.m. to 11 a.m.) on the second Saturday of each month. Reservations are required, so give a call on 281-474-2551 x10.

Useful Links for Planning Your Healthy Living Houston Outdoor Adventures

Galveston Island State Park

The Friends of Galveston Island State Park

Artist Boat

Coastal Heritage Preserve

Armand Bayou Nature Center

Houston Museum of Natural Science

 

Categories : 2014-07 July Newsletter, Galveston, Healthy Living Houston, Newsletter, Outdoor Activities
Tags : Armand Bayou, Armand Yramategui, Artist Boat, Frank Bowser, Friends of Galveston Island State Park, Galveston Island State Park, GISP, Houston Museum of Natural Science

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