Mississippi Monday | Rainwater Observatory

We drove down the Natchez Trace one Friday evening, with the top down and our hair dancing in the wind. We were headed to the Rainwater Observatory in French Camp, MS. Rainwater Observatory is the largest observatory and one of the darkest locations in the Southeastern United States, so dark you can actually see the Milky Way once you’re out there.

It was a crisp, cool evening and not a cloud was in the sky. We had gotten there before the moon had risen, so the sky was filled with trillions of twinkling stars. That was the first time I had ever seen the Milky Way, it was so amazing! Once inside the planetarium, we learned all about the different galaxies out there and what constellations we would be able to see that particular night. We made our way to the telescopes, where we were able to view the craters on the moon and other planets that were in sight. Before leaving, we went to check out the telescope that took photos of the stars and moon. For the next hour or so, we sat in there with two of the coolest guys who showed us how it all worked.

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As the night progressed, we became seemingly more tired and made our way down the road to ‘Camp of the Rising Son’, which is a part of the French Camp Academy. We cozied up in bed and slept until dawn.

The next morning, we hiked down to the lake where we sat on the pier bundled up in blankets. The cool mist danced over the lake as the sun began to rise. No one was awake but us, not even the animals of the forest- the world was silent and it was lovely. Once the sun was up, we hopped in some canoes and headed around the lake. We spent the rest of the morning and exploring around the camp. It was the perfect way to end the week!

Interested in visiting or learning more about the Rainwater Observatory & Planetarium?

Visit their website HERE for more information!