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Saturday evening programs scheduled from March 23 through May 18: WCSU Observatory to offer spring planetarium shows & sky viewings

Image of WCSU telescopeDANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University will host evening shows and viewings of planetary and stellar objects during public nights from March 23 through May 18, 2019, at the WCSU Planetarium and Observatory on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.

The five Saturday evening presentations will include a one-hour planetarium show followed by telescope viewing of prominent features in the night sky including the moon, Mars and prominent star systems, clusters and nebulae visible during the spring months. The WCSU Observatory, located atop a hill near Pinney Hall, offers viewings through a 20-inch, computer-controlled Ritchey-Chretien reflector telescope.

Admission is free and the public is invited. Limited parking is provided adjacent to the observatory, with more extensive parking available on University Boulevard. Planetarium shows are appropriate for adults and older children, and will be canceled only in the event of hazardous road conditions or severe weather that would pose a safety risk. The viewing period will not be offered during public nights when cloud cover prevents sky observations. For updates to confirm plans for a scheduled public night, call (203) 837-8672 on the day of the event.

Following is the schedule of WCSU Planetarium and Observatory public nights, with the most prominent visible objects listed in the order of their celestial appearance during the viewing period for the evening:

  • March 23: The planetarium show will start at 7 p.m., with sky observation following from 8 to 10 p.m. Visible objects will include Mars, the Pleiades star cluster, the Orion Nebula and the waning gibbous moon.
  • April 13: The planetarium show will start at 7 p.m., with sky observation following from 8 to 10 p.m. Visible objects will include the star Castor, the moon just past first quarter and the binary star Algieba.
  • April 27: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include Algieba, the carbon star Y Canum Venaticorum (Y CVn), the double star Mizar and Alcor, and the M44 star cluster.
  • May 11: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include the first quarter moon, Mizar and Alcor, Y CVn, the M13 star cluster, the Epsilon Lyrae star system and the Ring Nebula.
  • May 18: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include Mizar and Alcor, the full moon, Y CVn and Epsilon Lyrae.

 

 

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.