The Department of Physics will host Dark Sky Night at the university observatory on Friday, October 2, from 7 to 11 p.m. The evening is free and open to the public, and no registration is required.
The observatory sits on a hill 12 miles north of Main Campus, away from the city's lights. On clear nights, visitors can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. This year, the Sun is still near the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, and there's a small chance of northern lights.
Program
- 7 p.m.: Planetarium show for families
- 8 p.m.: Talk by Dr. Martin Kessler on the May 2024 geomagnetic storm and what the student magnetometer recorded
- 8:30 to 11 p.m.: Viewing through the observatory's telescopes and a dozen smaller telescopes run by the astronomy club
Free shuttles leave the Student Union every 30 minutes starting at 6:30 p.m. Dress warmly. If the sky is cloudy, the event will move to the following Friday. Updates will be posted on the observatory page.
