"Saturn and the Summer Sky" Astronomy Open House June 23, 2011

Summer’s celestial showcase will be detailed at the next Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.

Dr. Darren Williams, associate professor of physics and astronomy, will discuss “Saturn and the Summer Sky” on Thursday, June 23. A one-hour nontechnical lecture at 8:30 p.m. in 101 Otto Behrend Science Building will be followed by astronomical observing, weather permitting.

In his presentation, Williams will discuss historical observations of Saturn, and share recent observations of the planet and its rings made by the Cassini spacecraft. He’ll also give a short lesson on finding summer constellations, including the North Star.

“Saturn appears as a prominently bright star in the southern sky after sunset, so anyone with steady binoculars or a small telescope should be able to resolve its famous rings,” Williams says. “Observers are going to be treated to a palette of interesting constellations this summer, and a meteor shower in August.”

Open House Nights in Astronomy are a public outreach program of Penn State Behrend’s School of Science and are appropriate for ages 8 and up. For more information, contact the school at 814-898-6105.