Behlen Observatory near Mead will be open to the public 7:30-10 p.m. Oct. 15.
Provided the sky is clear, visitors will be able to view a variety of objects with the 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.
At 8 p.m. professor M. Eugene Rudd of the Department of Physics and Astronomy will give an illustrated talk, "Stories from the Early Days of the Department of Physics and Astronomy." The difficulties and trials of starting and maintaining a new university are told as stories of joys, tears and triumph centering around three outstanding men: Samuel Aughey, DeWitt Bristol Brace and Goodwin DeLos Swezey. It will be shown how the whole history of the world once hung on a decision involving the University of Nebraska.
The observatory will also be open to the public 7:30-10 p.m. Nov. 12.
There is no admission charge for the public night. Additional information, including directions to the site, is available at http://astro.unl.edu/observatory. Directions to the observatory and maps are available on the website.
- Edward Schmidt, Physics and Astronomy
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/wp8