Standing tall at four stories with a rooftop reaching to more than 830 feet above sea-level, Beloit College’s new Center for the Sciences offers a ready-made platform for those who wish to take in the beauty and scientific wonder of the night sky. The college will host its first observatory open house from the roof of the new building on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. Like most events at the college, the open house is free and open to the public.

Britt Scharringhausen, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the college, says that participants will be able to view the celestial canopy with their naked eyes, binoculars and 10-inch telescopes (weather permitting). “Objects we’ll look at will include the moon, Jupiter, Mars and Venus,” she says, adding that those who arrive early might also catch a glimpse of Mercury. “That planet is always close to the sun in the sky, and it will be setting just before 8 p.m.”

According to Scharringhausen, the college’s 22-inch telescope will not be available until it is installed in its new location at the Welty Center for the Environment at Beckman Mill County Park. In the event of poor weather that hinders sky-observation, Scharringhausen will lead a presentation about astronomy followed by a “question and answer” session in room 402 of the Center for the Sciences.

For more information about the first observatory open house at Beloit College’s Center for the Sciences, contact Scharringhausen at scharr@beloit.edu or 608-363-2648.

Information about events at Beloit College can be found online at www.beloit.edu.