The UTA Planetarium is hosting Observe the Moon Night, a free observatory event.
Guests can look at the first-quarter moon through telescopes and binoculars from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the UTA Observatory, located on the top floor of the Park Central Garage.
Attendees can watch two free presentations at the UTA Planetarium. One discusses the future of NASA and commercial space from 4 to 5 p.m., and a second will describe the search for dark matter from 5 to 6 p.m.
The event, which is part of an annual international celebration by NASA, invites attendees to view the details of the moon and engage in conversations about the moon and space, Planetarium coordinator McKenna Dowd said.
“They specifically choose a weekend when the moon is around first quarter or third quarter, so you can see that terminator line, so that way we can see a lot more details on the surface of the moon,” Dowd said. “It makes for much more interesting observing.”
Attendees do not have to register to attend and are welcome to bring their own telescopes, cameras or binoculars, she said. Planetarium staff will be available to answer questions and assist with equipment use.
Several telescopes will be available for visitors to use, including the observatory’s 16-inch Meade LX200 Astronomical telescope, Dowd said.
The event will also feature snacks, music and glowsticks, she said.
Dowd said she loves seeing people show up to the event and leave with more curiosity than they came with.
“It’s so rewarding and just sharing the knowledge and having those conversations is really nice,” she said.
@kh.kennedyharvey