KOKOMO, Ind. — Fifty years ago, humans walked on the moon for the first time.
Learn more about this momentous milestone, and the NASA Apollo program that made it possible, at a September 8 open house at the Indiana University Kokomo Observatory.
Patrick Motl, associate professor of physics, will begin the program at 8 p.m. with a talk about the Apollo space program, established to meet the ambitious goal of landing on the moon by the end of the 1960s.
Immediately following the presentation, those attending will be able to view the moon through the Observatory’s two 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.
Saturn and Jupiter will also be visible, along with the summer triangle constellations, the ring nebula, and the color contrast double star Albireo.
Observation continues through 10 p.m., weather permitting. The open house is free and open to the public, at the Observatory, 2660 Washington Street. Free parking is available on campus.
Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.