Harvest Moon Watch – Look Up O’Dreamers

There is nothing more wondrous for a child than looking up to see a full moon and noticing all of its craters for the first time. For three nights, the Grand Rapids Public Museum is inviting  everyone to enjoy its annual Harvest Moon Watch as a part of its International Year of Astronomy events

Last year the weather did not always cooperate, but with a little luck members of the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association and the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium staff members will be setting up high-powered telescopes in convenient spots throughout the community between 7:30 and 9:30 PM for star gazers to look through a telescope just as old Galileo did four centuries ago.   The best part of this community wide event is that the viewing is free.
 
“Harvest Moon Watch is one of several commemorative events our staff has planned throughout this year in a collective effort to bring astronomy to people,” says Rickey Ainsworth, manager of the Museum’s Chaffee Planetarium.  “During April’s similar 100 Hours of Astronomy event, nearly 800 people gazed at the surface of the Moon.  We hope to have even higher participation this fall when we should once again have a wonderful view of the Moon, as well as the four satellites of Jupiter.” 

The initiative for the International Year of Astronomy was started by the International Astronomical Union and endorsed by UNESCO and the U.N.  The GRPM commitment to this yearlong special programming on this topic  is in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first telescopic glimpse into the night sky.  

Admission: Free