Lincoln (Neb.) - Nov. 6, 2000 - A look at the brightest attractions of the evening sky will be featured Nov. 10 at public night at the UNL Student Observatory. The observatory, located on the roof of the Stadium Parking Garage, 10th and T streets, will be open from 6:30 to 10 p.m. for viewing Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and two other much fainter planets.
The moon and five planets are lined up along the zodiac across the November evening sky. Early attendees at the viewing will be treated to a look at Venus, the brightest of all the planets, which shines brilliantly low in the southwest after sunset. As Venus sets, the telescope will swing around to Neptune and Uranus, the two giant planets on the edge of the solar system.
The biggest attractions of the evening will be the ever-beautiful ringed planet Saturn, rising in the east near the much brighter Jupiter. Both of these planets will be to the left of the almost full moon. The telescope will reveal the beauties of Saturn's rings, activities in the clouds of stormy Jupiter and craters on the moon. All phenomena will be explained in detail by UNL astronomer Martin Gaskell.
There is no charge for admission to the observatory and children of all ages are particularly welcome. Visitors should dress warmly since the observatory is unheated. The observatory will not be open if the sky is totally cloudy. The next public night is Dec. 1.
For more information about the Student Observatory, contact Gaskell at
(402) 472-4788 or by e-mail (mgaskell1@unl.edu) or visit the
observatory's Internet site
(http://www.blackstarpress.com/arin/unl/stdobsv/).
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For questions regarding these releases, contact:
tsimons1@unl.edu
(402) 472-8514, Fax: (402) 472-7825