Behlen Observatory public night is Nov. 7

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Behlen Observatory near Mead will be open to the public 7:30-10 p.m. Nov. 7.

Provided the sky is clear, visitors will be able to view a variety of objects with the observatory's 30-inch telescope and with smaller telescopes set up outside of the observatory. These include the Moon, the planets Jupiter and Uranus, two kinds of star clusters, double or multiple stars, and the Ring Nebula in Lyra, one of the highlights of the autumn sky.

Viewed in the 30-inch telescope the Ring Nebula resembles a pale smoke ring. It is one of the best and most easily observed examples of a planetary nebula. These objects are gas clouds that have been expelled from an old, dying star. In the case of the Ring Nebula, this occurred about 6,000 to 8,000 years ago. The nebula is about 2,300 light years distant and nearly a light year across.

At 8 p.m., a member of the observatory staff will give an illustrated talk titled "Kepler: Stepping up the Search for Extrasolar Planets." NASA's Kepler Mission ( http://kepler.nasa.gov), slated for launch in 2009, is designed to find Earth-like planets orbiting other stars.

There is no admission charge for the public night, the observatory's last public night in 2008. Further information can be found on the observatory Web site, http://astro.unl.edu/observatory or by calling UNL astronomer Edward Schmidt at (402) 472-2788. Directions to Behlen Observatory (maps are available on the Web site):

FROM LINCOLN: Take U.S. 77 north from Lincoln. Six miles past Ceresco, turn east on Nebraska 66 (formerly 63) and go eight miles to the Mead road. Turn left and go one mile north to Avenue H. At this corner, there are large brown signs on both sides of the road listing various locations of the field lab. Turn right on Avenue H and continue east two miles to Eighth Street. Turn left on Eighth Street and follow it north 0.6 miles to the observatory, which will be seen on the left.

FROM OMAHA: Take Nebraska 92 west to Mead. At Mead, turn south on Nebraska Spur 78F and follow it for about five miles to Avenue H. At this corner, there are large brown signs on both sides of the road listing various locations of the field lab. Turn left on Avenue H and continue east two miles to Eighth Street. Turn left on Eighth Street and follow it north 0.6 miles to the observatory, which can be seen on the left.