Pack a thermos, bring a chair or blanket and get ready for a night under the velvety star-studded sky at Town Creek Indian Mound Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m.

"This is one of the best dark sky sites in North Carolina," says Rich Thompson, manager of the state historic site. Stargazing enthusiasts will be able to view the cloudy trail of the Milky Way through the site's 12-inch Dobsonian telescope, which is suitable for visually observing "deep sky" objects.

"It's not a Hubble, but it's pretty big," says Thompson.

This night will be one of the best times to view the illusive planet Uranus, as it is closest to Earth for the year on Sept. 17. Jupiter will shine as one of the brightest "stars" in the evening sky.

The monthly series of Town Creek Indian Mound astronomy programs offers many opportunities to observe celestial objects: Oct. 17, for a look at Jupiter; Nov. 14, for the Leonid Meteor Shower; and Dec. 12, for the Geminid Meteor Shower.

"We kind of hitchhike around the sky and can usually identify what people are seeing," says Thompson.

The program is free. Advance registration is at (910) 439-6802 or e-mail to towncreek@ncdcr.gov. Star gazers are encouraged to bring along their own telescopes and binoculars to share with others.

The state historic site, one of 27, is located on Town Creek Mound Road approximately five miles east of Mt. Gilead, in southern Montgomery County between N.C. 73 and N.C. 731.

For more information on Town Creek, visit the Web site www.towncreek.nchistoricsites.org.