The annual Astronomy Day event at Town Creek Indian Mound will take place on Saturday, May 7. This daylong event will allow for observation of the sun during the day and stargazing later that night.

The daytime activities include viewing the surface of the sun through the site's 12-inch Dobsonian telescope, free handouts and a display explaining various aspects of astronomy. Once the sun sets and the sky has darkened, the staff will reopen the site at 8 p.m. and set up the Dobsonian telescope for the nighttime observations. Participants will be able to view the planet Saturn, observe a thin crescent moon and possibly catch a few stray meteors from the Eta Aquarids meteor shower; in addition to learning about prominent constellations and studying various deep-sky objects.

"May's astronomy program will be the last one until September, so stargazers should not miss this last chance to enjoy a nice spring evening at the Indian Mound," says a spokesman.

Astronomy Day was created by the Astronomical League as a grassroots movement to bring the joy of astronomy to the general public. This year's theme is "Bringing Astronomy to the People."

This movement was created in the hope that people who have never had the opportunity to view the sky through a telescope will be able to see for themselves what makes amateur and professional astronomers so excited about astronomy. To learn more about Astronomy Day and the Astronomical League, visit their website at www.astroleague.org.

Astronomy Day is free and open to the public. Registration for the night event is required. To register, call (910) 439-6802 or e-mail towncreek@ncdcr.gov.

A national historic landmark, Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site is North Carolina's only state historic site dedicated to American Indian heritage. Tour groups are welcome and encouraged. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. It is closed to the public on Mondays and most major holidays.

The historic site 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 www.towncreek.nchistoricsites.org/.