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Browsing through the March/April issue of Outdoor Indiana Magazine (which does a great job highlighting Indiana attractions), I was delighted to come across the current Destinations section, which features one of Morgan County’s favorite attractions - Link Observatory Space Science Institute! The story and photos by magazine staffer John Maxwell are absolutely delightful.
Since they’re not available on the Outdoor Indiana website, we wanted to share with you the following photos of the magazine so you can see how lovely the photography is – then, we highly encourage you to seek out a copy of the magazine to read the article highlighting the Link Observatory Space Science Institute’s public programs and daffodil gardens.
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Here are a few things not included in the article that we you should know about the one-of-a-kind observatory located midway between Martinsville and Mooresville on (what else?) Observatory Road:
Public Program Dates
We now have the full 2016 schedule of public programs available! Be sure to get these on your calendar (or, just remember to check our calendar). Lectures (which are pretty kid-friendly) are held in the Community Room at the Morgan County Public Library at both 7 and 9 pm. Afterwards, public viewing at the observatory begins at 9:30 pm, weather permitting. Typically there are smaller telescopes available for viewing on the lawn, as well as the large, centerpiece telescope under the dome. Lecture attendees can also take home a (free) book from NASA!
March 19 | April 16 | May 14 | June 18 | July 16 | August 13 | September 17 | October 15 | November 12
Flower Power
While the Outdoor Indiana story correctly states that the naturalized daffodil gardens typically peak around the third week of April, we’re getting some early spring warmth so that may happen a little earlier than normal this year. There are multiple varieties planted, even if you can’t be here for their peak, you’ll still see plenty of spring beauty! The gardens are open from 10 am to 4 pm on weekends in April. Once you enter the observatory gates, you’ll be in the gravel parking area. Park there and walk away from the building itself, back toward Observatory Road to get to the gardens. Be sure to follow Visit Morgan County on social media for periodic updates on the status of the daffodils.
How to Get There
Martinsville or Mooresville? There is often confusion about exactly where the observatory is located – understandably, since it’s off the beaten path. The observatory’s physical address is 803 Observatory Road, Martinsville, IN 46151. If you plug that into Google Maps, you’re going to get pretty accurate directions. Observatory Road is just off of Highway 67, approximately 11 miles north of Martinsville and 7 miles south of Mooresville. Please note that Observatory Road is a rural road with lots of curves and hills, and it can be tricky to navigate, especially at night. Just over a mile from the highway, slow down and watch for the right turn onto Observatory Lane – it’s located in a curve to the left, so it’s easy to miss – then turn right again almost immediately to enter the gates.
Where to Stay
If you're coming from very far away, you may be looking for a convenient place to stay. May we recommend one of our Morgan County lodging properties? Find the complete list here, or contact us at 765-346-5611, by email or on social media for personalized lodging recommendations (and other cool things to experience while you're in the area).
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