The Smoky Mountain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Collaborative will host a telescope viewing on Saturday, Oct. 20, beginning at 6 p.m. at Bridge Park in Sylva.
The event is free and open to the public, and part of 2018 International Observe the Moon Night, a worldwide, public celebration of lunar science and exploration held annually since 2010.
Astronomy faculty from Southwestern Community College and Western Carolina University will be on hand to show the moon through various telescopes at different magnifications. There will be a short presentation on identifying lunar features and their origins.
“In the past, this event has been popular with children and their parents,” said Enrique Gomez, associate professor in WCU's Department of Chemistry and Physics. “Everyone remembers the first time they saw the moon through a telescope.”
Participants are encouraged to dress warmly for this outdoors program. In the event of inclement weather or overcast skies, the viewing will be postponed to Sunday, Oct. 21, at the same time and location. For more information, contact Gomez at 828-227-2718 or egomez@wcu.edu.