This summer, the Lake Afton Public Observatory will be presenting 鈥�400th Anniversary of the Telescope.鈥�
On moonless evenings from July through September come out and celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of the telescope. During this program you will get a chance to observe Jupiter 鈥� beginning July 18 鈥� a double star, an ancient cluster of stars and a distant galaxy as a discussion is held on the telescopes used to make historic discoveries related to the objects being observed.
鈥�400th Anniversary of the Telescope鈥� will be presented on Friday and Saturday evenings on July 4-5, 18-19 and 25-26; August 1-2, 22-23 and 29-30; and September 19-20 and 26-27.
Lake Afton鈥檚 second program is called 鈥淧eculiar Planets and Lunar Lunacy.鈥� Does Jupiter stink? Is the Moon shaped like an egg? Come out to the observatory and learn the answers to these questions and others for a guided tour of the Moon, Saturn (through Aug. 1), Jupiter (starting Aug. 1) and Neptune (starting Aug. 15).
There you can examine some fun and bizarre facts about the members of the solar system as you examine them through a 16-inch telescope.
The program will be presented on Friday and Saturday evenings on July 11-12; Aug. 8-9 and 15-16; and Sept. 5-6 and 12-13.
To view the summer schedule, go to .
The Lake Afton Public Observatory is open to the public on Friday and Saturday evenings. During July and August, programs run from 9-11 p.m. During September, hours are 8-10 p.m.
Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12; children younger than 6 are admitted free. There also is special family admission where two adults and their immediate children or grandchildren get in for $12. Current program information is available at 麻豆传媒-STAR (978-7827).
The observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science at 麻豆传媒.