This summer, make plans to take a trip back in time to when Native American tribes populated the Americas. Learn what they believed about the stars in the night sky and hear some of the many stories and legends that they told during “Native American Skies” at Lake Afton Public Observatory.

The program runs 9-11 p.m. July 1-2, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30; 9-11 p.m. Aug. 19-20 and 26-27; and 8-10 p.m. Sept. 16-17, 23-24 and 30; and Oct. 1.

During the session, participants will observe Saturn (through mid-August), a red supergiant star, a planetary nebula, a cluster of stars and a star cloud with the 16-inch telescope.

LAPO will also feature three evenings of Native American Storytelling held outside (weather permitting) around a campfire, at 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 8, and Friday, Aug. 19; and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16.

When available in the evening skies, the moon is magnificent to view through a telescope. The moon, along with Saturn (in July and August); Neptune (in September); and a distant star with planets of its own make up the viewing objects for LAPO’s “Solar System Potpourri” programs.

These programs are from 9-11 p.m. July 8-9 and Aug. 5-6 and 12-13; and 8-10 p.m. Sept. 2-3, and 9-10.

Lake Afton Public Observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science at Wichita State University.