Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church is opening its doors to the community on March 26 for a Star Party.
Telescopes will be on hand for people to see the moon and five planets with the naked eye. Organizer John Lines got the idea to give the community a chance to use his telescopes after holding several successful gatherings for church parishioners.
‘They came off so well, I got to talking to our priest,? he said. ‘We decided to open it up to the community.?
Lines said there will be five planets visible on that Friday night: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The moon will be near its first quarter, excellent for observing detail on the lunar surface.
Four of Jupiter’s moons will be visible as well, along with details of the planet itself and Saturn’s rings.
In addition to the planets, Lines will point out other celestial objects such as galaxies, double stars and more.
Several telescopes are available for viewing, and Lines said this might be the first time many people have had the opportunity to look through a telescope.
‘I’m looking for a big turn out,? he added. ‘Hopefully science teachers will hear about it and tell their students.?
Astronomy has long been a hobby for Lines, who got his first telescope when he was about 10 years old. Today he’s the director of the Seven Ponds Astronomy Club in Dryden.
‘The first time I saw Saturn, it was like ‘Wow?,? he said. ‘Jupiter and Saturn are usually seen pretty well with the telescope. Venus will look like a first quarter moon.?
Anyone attending the Star Party should bring warm clothes, and are welcome to bring refreshments if they wish. March 27 is the backup date for the party in the event of rain on Friday night.
Anyone with questions can contact John Lines at 969-2790. Christ the Redeemer is located at 2700 Waldon Road, near Waldon Middle School. The church’s phone number is 391-1621.