KOKOMO, Ind. — Did you go out to try to see the northern lights this weekend?
Learn more about the geomagnetic storm behind the fascinating display at the last IU Kokomo Observatory free open house of the academic year.
Patrick Motl, professor of physics, will begin the open house at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 19 with discussion about the geomagnetic storm and aurora.
After the presentation, stargazers may be able to see the moon in the evening sky through the Observatory’s telescopes, a six-inch Takahashi refracting telescope and a 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope mounted together. The Takahashi provides exceptionally sharp images of planets, while the Meade allows viewers to see fainter objects in the sky, due to its larger light-collecting area.
With the summer triangle constellations starting to rise at 6 p.m., viewers may also be able to see open star clusters like Praesepe (the beehive cluster) and globular star clusters like M3 and M13 in the springtime skies.
Observation will continue through 10 p.m., weather permitting.
The Observatory is at 2660 S. Washington Street. Free parking is available on campus.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.
