After years of planning and construction the Headlands International Dark Sky Park (the 9th in the world!) dedicated and officially opened their new $7 million Waterfront Observatory and Event Center on the 2017 Summer Solstice, June 22. The new project features both an amphitheater and an auditorium along with the observatory dome housing a 20” PlaneWave telescope. Mary Stewart Adams, former Program Director at the Dark Sky Park says: “Michigan can be proud of its leadership role in protecting such a resource. A deep dark night is a vanishing resource for inspiration and creative genius that is largely overlooked in a developed world.” The Headlands takes the night sky seriously with free monthly educational programs and an open invitation to anyone to come any night (or even day) of the year for free and see what they’ve been missing. darksky@emmetcounty.org / www.MIdarkskypark.org