It is easy to get lost under a shroud of stars on a dark Kentucky night. Helping stargazers find their way through the evening sky is the Land Between the Lakes Planetarium and Observatory, and its director, Don Partain.

Located at the LBL Golden Pond Visitor’s Center, the planetarium operates under a varying schedule. Admission is nominal. $2 for children, and $3 for adults buys a ticket to see one of several multi-media programs about astronomy or environmental studies.

One of the most popular shows is the one entitled “Kentucky Skies,” which is a guided tour of the night sky over the Commonwealth, conducted by Partain. With a domed ceiling and a $1 million star projecting instrument, Partain points out constellations and celestial phenomena around the sky. Many objects are visible with an unaided eye, though with some, he suggests binoculars or telescopes to fully enjoy the subtleties of the object being viewed.

“We update the Kentucky Skies program daily. We check with NASA to make sure everything is current. Some planetariums update weekly or monthly, but ours is daily,” Partain explained of his operation.

For the rest of this story, read this week's Cadiz Record.