View craters on the moon or the glow of stars at Moraine Valley Community College’s telescope open viewing nights in 2018. This is the 16th year of free public viewings. The schedule includes the following Fridays:
- Wed, Feb 05-Sun, Mar 02
- Wed, February 122:00 pm-3:30 pm
- Thu, February 1311:00 am-12:15 pm
- Fri, February 147:30 pm
- Mon, February 17
- Tue, February 18
- Tue, February 183:00 pm
- Tue, February 181:00 pm-2:15 pm
- Tue, February 1810:00 am-1:00 pm
- Wed, February 192:00 pm-3:30 pm
- Thu, February 209:00 am-12:00 pm
- Thu, February 207:30 pm
- Tue, February 25
- Wed, February 266:30 pm
- Wed, February 2611:30 am-1:30 pm
- Fri, Feb 28-Sun, Mar 09
- Sat, March 017:30 pm
- Sun, March 023:00 pm
- Tue, March 043:00 pm
- Fri, March 077:30 pm
- Fri, Mar 07-Thu, Mar 13
- Mon, Mar 10-Sun, Mar 16
- Thu, March 137:30 pm
- Fri, March 14
- Mon, March 17
- Tue, March 183:00 pm
- Mon, March 24
- Tue, March 2511:00 am-12:15 pm
- Tue, Mar 25-Sun, Apr 20
- Wed, March 26
- Thu, March 277:30 pm
- Thu, April 039:30 am-10:45 am
- Fri, April 047:30 pm
- Mon, April 07
- Tue, April 083:00 pm
- Wed, April 096:30 pm
- Fri, April 117:00 pm
- Mon, April 14
- Fri, Apr 18-Sun, Apr 20
- Mon, April 21
- Wed, Apr 23-Sun, May 18
- Fri, Apr 25-Sun, May 04
- Fri, April 25
- Sat, April 269:00 am-12:00 pm
- Sun, April 273:00 pm
- Tue, April 293:00 pm
- Fri, May 027:30 pm
- Sat, May 037:30 pm
- Sun, May 043:00 pm
- Tue, May 067:30 pm
- Thu, May 087:30 pm
- Fri, May 09-Thu, May 15
- Sat, May 107:30 pm
- Thu, May 15
- Fri, May 16
- Mon, May 19
- Mon, May 26
- Fri, May 30-Thu, Jul 31
- Sun, June 01
- Mon, June 09
- Thu, June 19
- Fri, July 04
- Thu, Jul 17-Sun, Jul 20
- Sat, July 196:00 pm
- Thu, July 247:30 pm
- Sat, July 267:30 pm
- Sun, August 03
- Mon, August 18
- Mon, August 25
- Mon, September 01
- Mon, September 15
- Tue, September 30
- Mon, October 27
- Mon, November 03
- Wed, Nov 26-Sun, Nov 30
- Mon, December 01
- Sun, December 07
- Mon, December 15
- Fri, January 09
- Mon, January 12
- Mon, January 19
- Tue, January 20
- Sun, February 01
Viewings will be canceled if the sky is cloudy or there are high winds. Dates and times are subject to change.
All viewings are held at the telescope dome on the G. Jack Bradley Observation Deck, located on the west side of the college’s Nature Study Area, off Kean Avenue near 107th Street. Observers can park in lots east of Building P or in the west section of the Building D parking lot and then walk on the path to the observation deck. Children must be accompanied by an adult or supervisor.
Krista Syrup, professor of environmental/earth science, is hosting the viewings starting this year. Tom McCague, retired associate professor and amateur astronomer for more than 40 years, built the telescope using common hardware store items and donated it to the college. The telescope is a 6½-foot Newtonian reflecting model with a 13-inch diameter. Attendees will have a chance to look through the telescope and are encouraged to bring their own if they have one.
Observers should dress for the weather, wear insect repellent and can bring binoculars or telescopes if they have any. Occasionally, the International Space Station passes into view. This season should lend to good views of Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mars.