View Star Clusters, Nebulae through UA Telescopes at Moundville

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Astronomers invite the public to Moundville to look through University of Alabama telescopes at star clusters and clouds of dust and gas between stars, known as nebulae, on Friday, Oct. 29 from 7 until 10 p.m.

Hosted by Drs. Ron Buta and William Keel, professors in UA’s department of physics and astronomy, the free viewing will use three telescopes on pads in a field across the road from the Moundville Archaeological Park’s museum.

Parking is available at the museum and near the conference center overlooking the Black Warrior River.

Sky viewings are contingent upon the weather. Cloudy skies are not conducive to viewing. For more information about scheduled events, phone 205/348-5050, or go online to http://astronomy.ua.edu/Public.html.

UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park is 14 miles south of The University of Alabama campus at 1 Mound State Parkway in Moundville, south of Interstate 20/59 and off Alabama state Highway 69.

Additional UA sky viewings include:

Friday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. – The moon and Jupiter – The sky viewing returns to campus’ Gallalee Hall, hosted by Dr. Jimmy Irwin, assistant professor.

Monday, Dec. 20, 11 p.m. – Total lunar eclipse – The fun starts late and stretches into the early morning hours as participants can watch, from atop Gallalee Hall, as the Earth’s shadow hides the moon from view.

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.