Minnesota State Mankato's Standeford Observatory is open to the public on Thursday evenings during the fall observing season, which runs from Labor Day to Thanksgiving.
The observatory will be open from 8:30-10:30 p.m. on clear Thursday evenings. (If the sky is not sufficiently clear at observing time, the public viewing session will be not be held.)
Visitors will be able to see a variety of celestial objects, including the Ring Nebula, the Wild Duck Cluster, the Swan Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, a few planets and a host of colorful binary stars.
Visitors should park at the southern end of Gage parking lot No. 1, walk through the pedestrian gate, and follow the road south to the observatory.
If weather makes viewing uncertain, visitors may phone Standeford Observatory at (507) 389-6208 in the evening to inquire about sky conditions. A sign on the pedestrian gate also will indicate whether the observatory is open.
Standeford Observatory’s open houses complement open houses at Andreas Observatory (next door), which happen on three Friday evenings starting Sept. 25.
Those who want more information about Minnesota State Mankato observing facilities may visit http://cset.mnsu.edu/pa/observing. Those in need of disability accommodations should contact the Disability Services Office at (507) 389-2825.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive, doctoral university with 14,800 students and two satellite sites, is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which comprises 32 institutions across the state.
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