Embedded Files
The physics discipline and Physics Student Club conduct frequent public telescope viewings, and additionally for astronomical events of interest. Please note that the weather conditions can influence observing. Check back here about two hours before your visit for updated information. Start times vary with sunset times.
If you are interested in visiting with a group, please contact the physics faculty at the University of Minnesota Morris, for example Sylke Boyd ( sboyd@morris.umn.edu).
Monday, June 8, 9:45 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Messier Tour for Beginners
Monday, June 8, 9:45 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Messier Tour for Beginners
Update 10:07 pm: the sky is completely overcast, and we are closing the dome.
It is quite cloudy but if you'd like to try please come. I am here in the observatory. The next few days look worse by forecast, so we will try anyway, we just may have to be less selective.
Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury have a little sunset gathering down in the western sky, which is why we will start a little earlier during dusk. Jupiter and Venus will become very close to each other in the western sky on that night. Hopefully we can get a glimpse!
The Moon will not interrupt our views with bright light, and so this will be a good night to view some dimmer objects later in the evening. On nights close to the summer solstice, the night sky opens away from the ecliptic plane and even out of the plane of the Milky Way. The Messier Catalog is a list of astronomical objects, established by the French Astronomer Charles Messier in 1774. We can try to discover a family of globular clusters: M3, M5, M10, M12, M13, and several other open and globular star clusters. It will be the Messier tour for beginners. This one will require patience and dark-adjusted eyes.
Please enter the Science Building from the main entrance at the West Parking lot (the "Science lot"), through the grass doors. Other doors will be locked at that time.
As always, please check here before heading out if any weather adjustments become necessary.
Monday, June 22, 10:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Youth Camp and the Moon
Monday, June 22, 10:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Youth Camp and the Moon
Weather Alternative: Tuesday, June 23, same time
In this week, we are hosting the Kapemni Astrophysics Camp for high school students on campus, and this is their first observatory night. It will be exciting in the dome, with many young space enthusiasts present. You are most welcome to join the fray! The moon will be a waxing gibbous moon, giving us good contrast of shadows and light along the craters and mountain ranges in its center face. Therefore, the moon will certainly be the most prominent object for this night. The summer triangle will be back in view, and we can explore the stars and objects in that region.
As always, please check here before heading out if any weather adjustments became necessary.
Monday, July 13, 10:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Deep Summer Sky
Monday, July 13, 10:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Deep Summer Sky
Weather Alternative: Tuesday, July 14, same time
A moonless night, the summer triangle in the zenith, several nice double star systems in view (like alpha Capricorni), Sagittarius bringing the view toward the center of the Milkyway up into the sky again? We can make this work if the atmopshere let's us do that!
As always, please check here before heading out if any weather adjustments became necessary.
Monday, August 10, 9:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.: Venus and the Tea Pot
Monday, August 10, 9:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.: Venus and the Tea Pot
Weather Alternative: Tuesday, August 11, same time
Another moonless night, with Venus at a 51% phase. If the view to the south is clear and unobstructed, we may explore the objects of the tea pot region, around Kaus Australis. Otherwise, we turn to the northeast, and welcome Cassiopeia and Andromeda back into our sky.
As always, please check here before heading out if any weather adjustments became necessary.
More Open Observatory nights will be available throughout late summer and fall.
More Open Observatory nights will be available throughout late summer and fall.
Please check back later for the schedule.
Page updated
Report abuse