The University of Illinois Springfield's popular Friday Night Star Parties will resume this month.
Those dates include: March 17, 24 and 31.
Friday Night Star Parties are held from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, at the UIS observatory on the roof of Brookens Library. Star Parties are hosted by John Martin, UIS associate professor of astronomy/physics.
The observatory's telescopes will be used to view a number of celestial objects including Mars, the moon, the Great Nebula in Orion and other double stars and star clusters when visible.
A typical Star Party begins with a presentation as visitors ascend the stairs to the observatory, learning about galaxies, the sun and stars along the way. On the roof observation deck, visitors are invited to view the skies through telescopes and ask questions.
The entrance to the campus observatory is outside Brookens Library on the southeast corner of the building.
Star Parties may be canceled because of cloudy weather. Questions about whether the weather is suitable for viewing should be directed to 217-206-8342 at 7 p.m. on the evening of the Star Party.
Participants may also follow the UIS Observatory on Twitter (@UISObservatory) for updates.
For more information on Star Parties, email John Martin at jmart5@uis.edu.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on March 1, 2017.
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