Summer Under the Stars
Out of this world learning for the whole family!
Northern Illinois University's Summer Under the Stars is a series of free community programs presented by NIU STEM Outreach and the Davis Hall Observatory throughout the summer. Our programs help amateur star gazers and armchair astronomers learn more about all things space. All programs are family friendly and open to the public.
June 5, Transit of Venus
Venus will transit the Sun, meaning that the planet Venus will be observed crossing the face of the Sun. The NIU Observatory will be open from 3 PM to 12 midnight to observe this event. Don't miss it, the next transit of Venus will be 105 years from now!
Open House event beginning at 3 PM at the NIU Observatory in Davis Hall
July 25, Eyes on the Sky
Donna Kubik, an astrophysicist at Fermilab and an NIU alumna, will discuss how "professional, research-grade telescopes can be viewed as 'souped-up' versions of amateur telescopes and cameras." Kubik and the group will explore similarities using the Dark Energy Survey's optical telescope as an example.
After the talk, participants can choose among several optics activities, from playing with periscopes to assembling Galileoscopes for star gazing. Throughout the activity, participants can also visit the observatory.
7 PM LaTourette Hall Room 200
August 4, Curious about Curiosity?
Experts will give a 30 minute talk on the geology of Mars and what the Mars Rover Curiosity is designed to explore. The talk will be followed by hands-on activities, including programming robotics and maneuvering remote controlled vehicles on an obstacle course. Throughout the activity, participants can also visit the observatory.
7 PM LaTourette Hall Room 200
"Transit of Venus" and "Curiosity Rover" images courtesy of nasaimages.org.