Father's Day special available at Lake Afton

In honor of Father’s Day, the Lake Afton Public Observatory will be presenting a special offer Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14.

Bring Dad or Grandpa to the observatory for the program “Celebrity Craters,” and they will receive free admission when accompanied by a paying child.

During the program, visitors will have an opportunity to use the observatory’s 16-inch telescope to observe Saturn, its ring system and some of its many moons. They can also take a close look at the Moon, focusing on some of its craters and learning about the famous scientists, mathematicians and philosophers after which they were named. “Celebrity Craters” will be presented on Friday and Saturday evenings from 9-11 p.m. June 6-7, and June 13-14.

In addition to viewing through the telescope, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the exhibit area with its many displays and activities, including exhibits that allow you to make a telescope, explore the properties of light, learn about stellar evolution and black holes, or touch a rock from space.

Visitors can also use our computers to go on a scavenger hunt through the solar system or practice landing a spacecraft on the moon. In addition, there are also small telescopes and binoculars outside that visitors can use to find objects in the night sky.

The observatory is about 20 miles southwest of downtown ͷ on MacArthur Road at 247th Street West in Lake Afton County Park.

Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12; children younger than 6 are admitted free. Current programs and times along with events taking place in the sky are available in a recorded message by calling WSU-STAR (978-7827).

The Lake Afton Public Observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science at ͷ.