During the past 20 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has made some amazing discoveries. From July to September, Lake Afton Public Observatory visitors can learn about them during the “Hubble’s Universe” program.
The event will be presented from 9-11 p.m. July 2-3, 9-10 and 30-31; Aug. 6-7, 13-14 and 27-28; and from 8-10 p.m. Sept. 3-4 and 10-11.
Visitors can view Saturn (during July), a cloud of interstellar gas, a cluster of stars, a spiral galaxy and a star with planets, all through the observatory’s 16-inch telescope.
Another summer program, “Reflections on the Moon,” will be from 9-10 p.m. July 16-17, 23-24; Aug. 20-21; and from 8-10 p.m. Sept. 17-18 and 24-25.
Visitors can not only observe the moon, but also take a look at Saturn (through the end of July) and Neptune (beginning in August).
The observatory also has astronomy-related exhibits for visitors to explore, including a timeline that show observations made using Hubble, along with improvements made to it during the past 20 years.
Another exhibit highlights the significant discoveries that have been made using the telescope.
Other exhibits allow visitors to explore features on the moon, the Apollo lunar landing missions, Earth at night and Saturn’s rings from different perspectives. Visitors can also make a telescope, explore the properties of light, touch rocks that came from space, and use a computer to go on a scavenger hunt through the solar system or land a spacecraft on the moon.
Visitors can even observe objects in the night sky on their own using the observatory’s small telescopes and binoculars that are set up outside.
Monthly photography programs are also held on Saturday evenings. During these programs, anyone with a 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera can take celestial photographs using the observatory’s 16-inch telescope.
At 11 p.m. Saturday, July 17, visitors can photograph the crates and mare of the 1st quarter moon. At 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, the star clouds of the summer Milky Way can be photographed. And at 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, Jupiter and its colorful cloud bands will be the camera’s target.
For more information, go to http://www.webs.wichita.edu/lapo/.
The observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wichita State University. Additional support is provided by Sedgwick County.