Bundle up and blast off to the far reaches of our Solar System for Ice Giant Night at the historic Cincinnati Observatory.
This special family-friendly evening will celebrate the mysterious outer planets Uranus and Neptune – the cold, blue giants that guard the edge of the Sun’s domain. The event takes place on Saturday, November 15 from 6-9 p.m.
“Uranus and Neptune are often the forgotten members of the Solar System due to their distance and limited exploration,” says Dr. Wes Ryle, Astronomer. “This event is a chance to educate about these distant worlds, their rings, and their moons. If the skies are clear, guests will also be treated to the cool, blue glow of these planets through our telescopes!”
In fact, the observatory’s 180 year old Merz & Mahler telescope was likely the first telescope in the United States to view the planet Neptune shortly after its discovery. The observatory’s founder, Ormsby Macknight Mitchel, described finding the planet in the telescope with his wife, Louisa, at the eyepiece in October of 1846.
In addition to a possible viewing, the night will include a variety of hands-on, “cool” science activities, including:
• Solar System trivia, with emphasis on Uranus and Neptune
• Dry ice demonstrations exploring states of matter and planetary conditions
• Fake snowball toss games and ice cube relay races (weather permitting)
• A ice themed scavenger hunt around the observatory.
Attendees can also discover the latest images and discoveries from NASA missions, learn what makes Uranus and Neptune so strange, and enjoy icy-themed treats as they journey to the frozen frontiers of the cosmic neighborhood.
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for kids and observatory members.
Pre-registration is available online, but walk-ins are welcome.
Tickets and additional details available at www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/events.