Austin Peay invites public to see night sky through its 20-inch telescope
(Posted on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022)
Austin Peay State University’s Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy will give children and adult astronomy enthusiasts a chance to observe Saturn, Jupiter, star clusters and nebulae at the university’s observatory on Saturday, Sept. 17.
The public observing night will begin around 7:30 p.m. at the observatory, housed at APSU’s Farm and Environmental Education Center, 1991 Pickens Road.
The night will feature the university’s 20-inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope, featuring the same optical design as NASA’s Hubble Telescope, and professors and students eager to help visitors make the most of the night.
Attendees must RSVP to physics@apsu.edu to attend the event, which will last an hour to 1 ½ hours.
As of Thursday morning, the forecast called for a clear night, but if clouds move in, the department will cancel the event and post a notice on the APSU astronomy webpage by 5 p.m.
Attendees should dress appropriately for the weather, nighttime temperatures and mosquitoes. As on all APSU campuses, smoking and alcohol are prohibited.
