Mont Alto Evening Series offers opportunities to learn more about the night sky

MONT ALTO, Pa. - The opportunity to get a closer look at the night sky is returning to Penn State Mont Alto in fall 2025. The popular Evening Series will once again feature shows, evening talks and star parties where community members can learn more about constellations, galaxies and far away planets. All events are free to the public and will be offered both in person, weather permitting, and virtually. Advance registration is required.

Planetarium shows

Explore the night sky and fly around solar objects as you enter one of many astronomy-themed full domes. Hosted by Kim Herrman, Penn State Mont Alto associate professor of physics and astronomy, evening planetarium shows are open to the public at 7 p.m. Sept. 18, Sept. 19, Oct. 16 and Oct. 17 in the Allied Health Building White Box (Room 115). There also will be a virtual planetarium show at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 via Zoom.

Evening talks

Penn State Mont Alto faculty will share captivating experiences and enriching knowledge about Penn State and the world beyond. All evening talks will be held on Zoom and in the Auditorium in the General Studies Building.

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30: "Bringing the Night Sky to Life," presented by Kim Herrmann. Are you curious about the world's newest telescope, the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory? Come learn about astronomer Vera Rubin, the new 8.4 m (27.6 ft) diameter telescope named in her honor, and how it will revolutionize the way we explore the universe. You'll also hear about the four main science areas and the questions that Rubin Observatory will seek to answer, as well the flood of data it will be collecting and how it will help us better understand the skies.

Star parties

Join us for a telescope viewing and night sky tour with laser pointers, weather permitting. Star parties will be scheduled a few days in advance, when the forecast shows good star viewing weather. The parties will be held in the field between Orchard Road and the Mont Alto campus' General Studies Building parking lot from 8:30 p.m. to about 10 p.m. Complete this form if you would like to be notified when these star parties are scheduled. Surprise precipitation, cloud cover or very cold temperatures may cause a star party to be canceled.

Click here to learn more about the inflatable planetarium at Mont Alto.

For more information about Penn State Mont Alto's Evening Series, contact Herrmann at [email protected].