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Modine-Benstead Observatory Open House
The heavens are waiting for you!
The Racine Astronomical Society will be holding an OPEN HOUSE at the Modine-Benstead Observatory on Friday, August 16, 2024. We will be open to the public, weather permitting, from 8:30 PM until 11:00 PM to view planets, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, and the Moon. The Modine-Benstead Observatory is located at 112 63rd Drive, Union Grove in Racine County. The event is free.
Public night open house events are held monthly from April through October and there is no charge for admission or parking. As a non-profit organization that is volunteer run, a small donation is encouraged during your visit to help defray the yearly costs of observatory maintenance and care.
The Racine Astronomical Society was established in 1956 to promote interest in astronomy among amateurs and the Racine area public. Membership is open to anyone interested in astronomy.
On public nights, RAS will have the club's telescopes open and many of the club's members will have their telescopes available to view through. Depending on what is up each night, it is possible to view the moon, planets, and many deep sky objects. Come out and take a look back in time. For example, when you view the Andromeda galaxy, you are looking back in time 2.6 million years.
Public nights are designed to be family friendly, but the society asks that public viewers keep young children close by (the grounds are not illuminated for better observing) and instruct them to respect the telescope equipment provided by members. On occasion there may be dozens of visitors waiting in line to observe at a particular telescope and patience is greatly appreciated. Questions are expected and welcomed, since part of the club mission is to educate and inspire new viewers to participate in the world of amateur astronomy.
The night of an open house there will be a message on the observatory answering machine if the skies are cloudy. The phone number is 262-878-2774.
The observatory is located at the intersection of Highway A and 63rd Drive in Yorkville. Dress warmer than you think is needed, since on clear nights the daytime temperature drops quickly.
For information on the public nights at Modine-Benstead Observatory or the Racine Astronomical Society, go to www.rasastro.org or facebook.com/racineastro on Facebook.
Event Links
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/2579177-0
