In April, Oswego was graced with a rare celestial event: a total solar eclipse. Now it's the Moon's turn! Although lunar eclipses (especially partial eclipses) are much more common than total solar eclipses at a given location, they are still a fascinating experience and can be enjoyed without any risk of eye damage. On the evening of September 17, join experts at the Rice Creek Observatory to view the partial lunar eclipse -- watching as the Earth's shadow will appear to take a "bite" out of the Moon, starting at 10:12 PM and ending at 11:15 PM.

Visitors will have the chance to gaze at the moon through a dedicated telescope and additional celestial objects through a second telescope, including:

• Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and possibly their largest moons

• Later in the evening: Jupiter

• Double stars, nebulae, star clusters, galaxies

Coffee, tea, and hot cocoa will also be available free of charge to attendees.

Weather Dependent

Since clear weather is needed for observing the night sky, interested participants should call (315) 312-6620 after 6 pm on the evening of the event to hear a recorded message announcing whether or not the weather conditions will allow the session to take place.

Remote Viewing

Virtual viewing of this event is also possible through a live stream on the YouTube.com/@PompeyObservatory channel. 

Transportation & Parking

Free parking is available at the Field Station, located at 193 Thompson Road in Oswego.

Free student transportation is available. Please meet the Rice Creek 11-passenger van at the Marano Campus Center bus stop for departures to Rice Creek at 9:45 pm and 10:15 pm sharp. The return will be at 11:15 pm.

Personnel

This event is hosted by Dr. Kamal Jabbour, a visiting scholar at the Rice Creek Observatory, and Dr. John Zielinski, a retired SUNY Oswego faculty member in astronomy.

Additional Information

Individuals with disabilities needing accommodations to attend this event should contact Rice Creek at rcfs@oswego.edu at least 24 hours prior to the event.

Additional telescope observation nights can be seen on the monthly telescope event page.