Learn about upcoming comet, mission to Europa moon, at Observatory

KOKOMO, Ind. - Want to see a comet?

Learn more about how you can view the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which is transitioning from an early morning to early evening object as it swings around the sun, at Indiana University Kokomo's free Observatory open house on Sunday (October 13).

Patrick Motl, professor of physics, will begin the open house at 8 p.m. with discussion about the comet, which recently made its closest approach to the sun. It's forecasted to be its brightest in mid-October, at its closest point to the earth, according to the Adler Planetarium.

Motl also will discuss the upcoming Europa Clipper Mission to conduct a detailed study of Jupiter's moon Europa. It was scheduled to launch on October 10, but has been delayed by NASA and SpaceX due to Hurricane Milton.

After the presentation, stargazers may be able to see Venus, Saturn, and the moon, as well as highlights from the Summer Triangle, through the Observatory's telescopes. They include a six-inch Takahashi refracting telescope and a 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope mounted together. The Takahashi provides exceptionally sharp images of planets, while the Meade allows viewers to see fainter objects in the sky, due to its larger light-collecting area

Observation will continue through 10 p.m., weather permitting. The Observatory is at 2660 S. Washington Street. Free parking is available on campus.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.