KELSEYVILLE – Taylor Observatory Coordinator Barbara McIntyre partnered with Northern California-North Coast Community Development Directors, Michelle Meese and Mary Allen to host a Campout under the Stars Wednesday night, Aug. 12.

Forty NorCal Girl Scouts (grade sixth through 12) and adult chaperones participated in a barbecue, classroom activities, a planetarium show, telescope viewing and a Perseids meteor shower party.

The meteor shower party included camp fire pits to roast marshmallows for their s’mores while they watched the meteor fireworks in the sky. The Friends of Taylor Observatory provided the barbecue and s’mores. Kelseyville Lumber and Piedmont Lumber helped by discounting the cost of the fire pits.

Observatory Assistants Edward Giannelli and Stephen Kane were there to assist the girls with understanding sky maps, identifying constellations and telescope viewing of deep sky objects. Not only did the girls and their chaperones have a great time, Taylor Observatory helped fulfill several of the requirements necessary for the Girl Scouts to earn their Space Exploration Interest Project Award.

All girls, grades fourth through sixth, are invited to register with the Girls Scouts and join the campout at Taylor Observatory in an upcoming event on Oct. 10. Junior Girl Scouts will be earning the Sky Search Badge and Cadettes in 6 th grade will earn the Space Exploration Interest Project.

Anyone interested in participating, should contact Michelle Meese at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or register online at http://www.girlscoutsnorcal.org/pages/events/event.html?id=1526 .

Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium, a program of the Lake County Office of Education, holds public events on the third Saturday of each month from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The observatory is available for school groups, scout groups, birthday parties and other private functions. Call 707-262-4121 or visit www.taylorobservatory.org for more information.