MT. GILEAD–As 2009 dawns and many folks hunker down for the next few weeks of winter, get outdoors and spend a few nighttime hours at Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site watching the quadrantid meteor shower, a particularly showy celestial event peaking Jan. 3. This free program, one in a series of regular public astronomy presentations offered at Town Creek, is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 3, beginning at 6 p.m. (Registration is required.)
As many as one or two quadrantid meteors per minute could streak across the night sky. The month of January is characterized by clear, wintery nights that offer some of the best skies for gazing heavenwards and spotting all the great celestial objects.
Though the shower will peak on Jan. 3, some quadrantids may be visible throughout the entire period from January 1-5. Quadrantid meteors take their name from a no longer recognized constellation entitled, Quadrans Muralis, which was found in early 19th-century star atlases between Draco, Hercules and Bootes. When the International Astronomical Union adopted the modern list of 88 officially-recognized constellations in 1922, it was dropped. The source of the quadrantid meteor shower was unknown until 2003 when astronomers determined that quadrantid meteoroids come from 2003 EH1, an “asteroid” that is probably a piece of a comet that broke apart some 500 years ago.
Participants will also view other celestial objects such as the half Moon, the planet Venus, and learn about the constellations Bootes and Pegasus, among other winter favorites. Those interested in attending this event are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to view the night sky and to dress for the weather. Personal binoculars and telescopes are also welcome. Please call 910/439-6802 or email towncreek@ncdcr.gov to register.
For more than a thousand years, American Indians farmed lands later known as North Carolina. Around A.D. 1000, a new cultural tradition arrived in the Pee Dee River Valley. Throughout Georgia, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and western and southern Piedmont North Carolina, the Mississippian tradition spawned complex societies. Inhabitants built earthen mounds for their leaders, engaged in widespread trade, supported craftspeople and celebrated a new form of religion.
In 1937, excavations began at Town Creek Indian Mound. Key features of the site were reconstructed, including the mound, two temple structures, a burial hut and surrounding stockade. Archaeologists’ excavations revealed that the mound at Town Creek was constructed over an early rectangular structure known as an “earth lodge.”
The mission of Town Creek Indian Mound is to interpret the history of the American Indians who once lived here. The visitor center features interpretive exhibits, as well as audiovisual displays. A national historic landmark, Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site is North Carolina’s only state historic site dedicated to American Indian heritage. Tour groups are welcome and encouraged. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. It is closed to the public Mondays and most major holidays.
The historic site is located on Town Creek Mound Road approximately five miles east of Mt. Gilead, in southern Montgomery County between NC 73 and NC 731. For more information on Town Creek, visit www.towncreek.nchistoricsites.org/.
Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, Town Creek Indian Mound is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history, and culture. Join the Cultural Resources 2008 theme observance of “Telling Our Stories.” For more information, visit www.ncculture.com or call 919/807-7385.