The Lake Afton Public Observatory, operated by the Fairmount Center of Science and Mathematics Education at Wichita State University, has lots of star- and planet-gazing planned for weekend evenings through April, May and June.

On moonless evenings when the sky is dark, the program "Big, Bigger and Biggest" will look at Venus, Saturn, a giant star, a cluster of stars and another galaxy to get a better perspective on just how small Earth really is. The program will be presented on Friday and Saturday evenings, April 2-3, 9-10, and April 30-May 1, May 7-8, 14-15 and 28-29; and June 4-5 and 11-12.

When the moon is out, making the evening sky bright, participants in "Craters and Clouds" will observe the rocky surface of Earth's nearest neighbor, the Moon, with the Observatory’s 16-inch telescope, then turn to two cloud enshrouded planets, Venus and Saturn, comparing them to our Moon. "Craters and Clouds" will be presented on Friday and Saturday evenings, April 16-17, 23-24; May 21-22; and June 18-19 and 25-26. 

The Observatory also has exhibits that are chosen and designed to relate to and enhance the telescope observation programs. For spring 2010, exhibits will deal with phases of our Moon, the features of Venus and the Cassini mission to Saturn. Other exhibits let visitors make their own telescope, explore the properties of light, touch a rock that came from space, use a computer to go on a scavenger hunt through the solar system or land a spacecraft on the moon. Small telescopes and binoculars are set up outside for visitors to find and observe objects in the sky on their own.

Once a month, anyone with a 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera can take celestial photographs using the Observatory's 16-inch telescope as a giant telephoto lens. At 10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17, and again at 11 p.m. Saturday, May 15, the Observatory will photograph Saturn. At 11 p.m. Saturday, June 19, the subject will be the first quarter Moon. The Observatory recommends bringing 400 or 800 speed color film and a cable release.  

Visitors can also bring a USB flash drive and use the Observatory's digital SLR camera. The Observatory will transfer their pictures to those flash drives.

The observatory is about 20 miles southwest of downtown Wichita on MacArthur Road at 247th Street West in Lake Afton County Park.

Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12; children younger than 6 are admitted free. Current programs and times along with events taking place in the sky are available in a recorded message by calling WSU-STAR (978-7827). For a full schedule of events, go to www.wichita.edu/lapo.