A public telescope night at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory on Monday, July 18 will pay tribute to the late Williamson County civic leader and amateur astronomer Tommy Murdic.
Murdic had hosted the annual night at Dyer Observatory on behalf of the Williamson County Public Library before he passed away March 6, 2015. This event, which has been renamed the Tom Murdic Annual Telescope Night at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, will begin at 8 p.m.
Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson will be at Dyer for brief remarks on Murdic’s public service as well as his passion for stargazing. In addition, some of Murdic’s photographs and images will be displayed. The retired engineer, who had previously worked at the Nashville Thermal Transfer Plant, enjoyed spending many hours at Dyer as an amateur astronomer.
Murdic, a former chairman of the Franklin Municipal Planning Commission, served on the Williamson County Commission and Joint Parks and Recreation Committee of Williamson County. In addition, he had a strong interest in preserving the African-American heritage of his ancestors through his leadership with the African American Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. He also helped spearhead the establishment of McLemore House, an African-American history museum in Williamson County. Murdic was a member of the Franklin Tomorrow founding steering committee and a board member. His family accepted the Ned Lea Lifetime Achievement Award, presented posthumously, at the 2015 Franklin Tomorrow Exemplary Volunteer Awards.
- Cost: $6.27 per person ($5 admission plus $1.27 online handling fee). Buy online here.
Please note: Each person must have their own reservation. All tickets must be purchased online no later than 6 p.m. the night of the event. Tickets will not be available at the door. No refunds or exchanges: This is a clear-or-cloudy event. - When: Monday, July 18, 2016 from 8-10 p.m.
- Where: Vanderbilt University Dyer Observatory – 1000 Oman Drive, Brentwood, TN 37027