The telescopes of the Bucknell Observatory will be open to Bucknell families and the community to view the sights of the night sky — including newborn stars, star clusters and our moon — during Family Night on Saturday, Jan. 27 from 6:30-9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Local artist KJ Reimensnyder-Wagner will sing songs of the stars for kids of all ages several times during the evening, and Physics & Astronomy Professor Ned Ladd will present a family-friendly talk titled “Prisms, Rainbows, and Starlight: The Wonders of Light.” Children can construct their own “rainbow-maker” spectrometers and learn about different kinds of light.
The telescopes, including the 1887 Alvin Clark refractor and the modern telescopes of the Tressler Observing Lab, will be open for observing after the talk (weather permitting). Bucknell students and staff will be on hand to assist with the observing and will point out constellations.
The Bucknell Observatory is located at the southern end of the campus, just uphill from Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.