This event is filled to capacity, however, depending on the weather, additional guests may be able to enter. If you have not pre-registered, you may be asked to wait outside the building until they know if they have space.
Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay is offering a special Harry Potter-themed Stargazing Party on Friday, October 20, 2017 from 6:30-9pm. This is a family event that will take place whether the skis are clear or cloudy. The event will begin on the front lawn with a pre-Quidditch Match, weather permitting. Dr. Kory Haynes, from Astronomy Magazine will be a special guest and will have an interactive talk, addressing how astronomer reveal the presence of hidden planets around starts.
Adults and children attending the event will have the opportunity to learn about:
- Invisibility Waves (infrared astronomy)
- Flying Telescopes (the SOFIA Airborne Observatory)
- How to Avoid Werewolves (Phases of the Moon)
- Olivander's Wand Shop (tools of astronomy)
- Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them (constellation identification)
- History of Magical Astronomers (Yerkes Observatory tour)
- Compulsion Charms for Distant Telescopes (robotic telescopes)
Sign up online by going to www.astro.uchicago.edu/yerkes/and clicking on "Magic of Astronomy Star Party." The cost is $5 per person or $15 per family. Costues are welcome.
As part of the University of Chicago's Astronomy Department, Yerkes Observatory has been a hub for research and education since it opened in 1897. The Williams Bay facility sits on a 70 acre site adjacent to Geneva Lake and is home to the world's largest refracting telescope. Throughout the years, many notable scientists have worked at Yerkes or with collaborators here, including Albert Einstein and Edwin Hubble. Enjoy the tour!