Stars and planets may be viewed at free Observatory open house

KOKOMO, Ind. - Jupiter, Saturn, and the winter hexagon of constellations will be the stars of the show at Indiana University Kokomo's free Observatory open house Sunday (February 8).

Patrick Motl, professor of physics, will begin the open house at 7 p.m. with recent news and updates in astronomy, including new observations of the familiar and long-studied Ring Nebula (M57), which is called a planetary nebula.

"Planetary nebulae form at the end of a sun-like star's life," Motl said. "A hot white dwarf illuminates the stellar remains ejected into space like a neon sign in the sky. Recent observations of M57 have found an elongated region of ionized iron atoms - a very surprising result as sun-like stars are not expected to produce iron through nuclear fusion. Perhaps the iron emission is coming from a disrupted planet that once orbited the star. Like many results in science, this new study of M57 raises more questions than it answers."

After the presentation, stargazers may be able to see Jupiter, Saturn, and the winter hexagon of constellations through the Observatory's telescopes, weather permitting. They include 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.

"This is a great time of year to see the Orion Nebula, a beautiful, nearby star-forming region," Motl said.Observation will continue through 9 p.m., weather permitting.

The Observatory is at 2660 S. Washington Street. Free parking is available on campus.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.