Ohio Wesleyan’s Perkins Observatory to Celebrate the Sun with Three Daytime Events in July
OWU's Perkins Observatory
DELAWARE, OHIO – Everyone is invited to soak up the sun in July at three daytime “Celebration of the Sun” events at Ohio Wesleyan University’s Perkins Observatory, 3199 Columbus Pike (U.S. 23.)
The special Saturday celebrations will be held at 4 p.m. July 14, 21, and 28, replacing the regular Friday night programs during those weeks.
Participants will celebrate, discuss, and observe the sun using special telescopes and eclipse glasses, weather permitting, said Tom Burns, director of the observatory. Burns cautions it is not safe for people to look at the sun without appropriate eye protection and the careful supervision of trained astronomers.
Perkins staff and volunteers will help guests to observe sunspots and solar prominences – explosions on the sun’s surface, he said.
Other planned “Celebration of the Sun” activities include rocket launches, sundial demonstrations, views of a 1,000-yard model of the solar system, tours of the observatory, and, of course, the Perkins ghost story.
In June, the observatory will hold its regular Friday evening programs, which include stargazing with the facility’s 32-inch Schottland Telescope, weather permitting.
Reservations are strongly recommended for all Perkins Observatory events as many programs sell out in advance.
Advance tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children (17 and under), and $6 for senior citizens (62 and older). Tickets are $2 more if purchased at the door. To reserve tickets or determine at-the-door availability, call (740) 363-1257.
Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities, with more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Located in Delaware, Ohio, just minutes north of Ohio’s capital and largest city, Columbus, the university combines a globally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that translate classroom theory into real-world practice. OWU’s close-knit community of 1,850 students represents 47 states and 57 countries. Ohio Wesleyan was named to the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction, is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” and is included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.