UA Astronomers Invite Community to View Deep-Sky Objects from Moundville

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama astronomers invite the community to view star clusters and nebulae in the next Public Night sky-viewing session Friday, March 5 from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. 

The free viewing, hosted by Dr. William Keel, professor in UA’s department of physics and astronomy, will be held at Moundville Archaeological Park. Visitors can access UA telescopes on pads in a field across the road from the Moundville park’s museum.

Keel, and other members of UA’s department of physics and astronomy, is also participating in portions of another space-related event. On Saturday, March 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Creative Campus presents 2010: A Space Oddity, a collaborative convention to explore relationships between the worlds of space science and science fiction. It will be located at Shelby Hall, and admittance is free. Registration is encouraged and ensures Sci-Fi writing participants a spot in the workshops. See http://www.uacreativecampus.org/projects/2010-space-oddity for more information and to register.

An additional Public Night for the spring semester includes:

Tuesday, April 20 – 7:30 p.m., 227 Gallalee Hall, public talk, host TBA.
8 p.m., Gallalee Hall roof, viewing the moon and Jupiter, hosted by Dr. Dean Townsley, assistant professor 

For more information about scheduled events, phone 205/348-5050 or go online to http://www.astr.ua.edu/Public.html. All sky viewings are contingent upon the weather. Please give advance notice if you plan to bring a large group.

UA’s department of physics and astronomy is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.