The Middlebury College Physics Department will host a fall Open House night at the College Observatory on Friday evening October 14, during the College’s annual Fall Family Weekend. The College Observatory, located atop McCardell Bicentennial Hall, will be open to the public for viewing the heavens from 8-9:30 p.m., provided skies are mostly clear. There is no set program for the Open House; visitors are invited at any time during those hours.
The bright planet Jupiter and its moons will be prominent in the evening sky and will be the highlight of the evening, along with the nearly full Moon. There should also be a good view of relatively bright double stars and star clusters through the 24-inch computer-controlled telescope in the observatory dome and through several smaller telescopes on the roof observing deck.
The public viewing night is open to all, but will take place only if the sky is mostly clear. If the weather appears uncertain, visitors may call the observatory at 443-2266, after 6 p.m. on October 14 for a status report.