Photo courtesy of NASA.

The public is invited to view Saturn and its rings through Missouri University of Science and Technology’s 16-inch telescope on Thursday, Aug. 20.

The Missouri S&T Observatory will open its doors at 9:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20. The sky must be clear for observing and session length will vary.

Visitors’ Night at the Observatory is free of charge and no reservations are required. Each observing session is open-ended. Children are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by an adult. All visitors must be able to ascend a short set of stairs in order to view the object through the telescope.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and the second-largest in the solar system, after Jupiter. It is the furthest planet from Earth visible with the naked eye. It is a gas giant with an average radius about nine times that of Earth. Although only one-eighth the average density of Earth, with its larger volume Saturn is just over 95 times more massive.

The observatory is planning additional viewings this fall, however dates have not yet been determined. All viewings are subject to weather conditions.

Built in 1973, the Missouri S&T Observatory is located at 1550 N. Bishop Ave. (Highway 63 North), adjacent to the university’s Stonehenge replica, north of McNutt Hall and west of St. Patrick’s Lane.

For more information, or to have your email address added to an event notification mailing list for future updates and weather cancellation notices, contact Ken Goss by email at krgvx4@mst.edu.