Yerkes Public Star Party Saturday April 11, 2015 - Sign up now!

Participants will say farewell to winter constellations and hello to spring ones. If skies are clear, we will observe both with the unaided eye and through telescopes. Venus dominates the western sky. In the east, giant Jupiter with its four moons steals the show. The very bright constellation Orion and its Great Nebula hang nearby, close to Sirius, the brightest nighttime star. Come to see these and more!Even if it is too cloudy to observe, there is much to do. Indoor activities include hands-on activities, presentations, and facility tours. The Yerkes tour features a look at, but not through, the 40-inch Great Refractor within the unheated 90-foot diameter dome.

Remember to dress appropriately for standing outdoors on a chilly night, with hats, mittens, scarves, winter coats and sturdy shoes. The cost will be $5 per person, with a maximum of $15 per family. All children must be accompanied by an adult. No pets, please. If you wish, bring your own binoculars, digital cameras on a tripod, or telescope. We can help you to use them.

Click here for registration page.

M2 (NGC 7089) in Aquarius. Image taken for Hands On Universe at Yerkes Observatory 

with the 24-inch Telescope, August 28, 2000.