Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered about the stars and constellations you can see? Or have you ever been captivated by photos of the universe from NASA, and wished you could explore the universe too?

The Besser Museum Planetarium's dark sky educational series returns Friday, March 31st Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7:00 p.m. Late attendees will not be admitted to the show.  “Alpena has a mesmerizingly dark sky just outside of town. In less than an hour you could be at one of the three dark sky parks neighboring Alpena. I want to help people make sense of the beautiful chaos of a dark sky.”  Planetarium Coordinator, Johnathan Winckowski. To do that, Johnathan has designed a series of dark sky lectures that he will be presenting in Northern Michigan’s only digital planetarium located inside the Besser Museum. The program will help guide participants through the night sky and the Universe projected right above their heads inside the planetarium.

Beyond the Stars is a regular dark-sky educational event designed to instruct people on how best to enjoy Alpena’s natural dark sky parks. On March 31st, attendees will gather in the Besser Museum Planetarium and learn about the night sky and how to explore it. If the weather permits, outside observations of the night sky will also take place in the museum’s backyard after the show, starting around 8:00 p.m, giving attendees a hands-on learning experience. 

This program is for astronomers of all levels and can help you make sense of all the wonders in a natural night sky, including how to use your eyes, a pair of binoculars, or a telescope. Attendees will also receive a printed star map. This helpful tool enhances the natural beauty of our dark skies by highlighting the brightest facets of the night.

Cost is $10 per session, $5 for museum members.  For more information contact Planetarium Coordinator, Johnathan Winckowski at 989-356-2202 or email planetarium@bessermuseum.org.