Planetarium and geology museum to host Oct. 24 open house

Augustana College's John Deere Planetarium and Fryxell Geology Museum will be open to the public on Saturday, Oct. 24, for the annual fall open house. The Augustana Low Brass Choir, a student ensemble, will perform during the event.

The planetarium and geology museum, located at 820 38th St., will be open from 7-8:30 p.m. The planetarium indoor and outdoor programs will be led by Dr. Lee Carkner, professor of physics. Admission is free.

The evening’s events will include a planetarium show where the wonders of the night sky will be presented on the facility’s 30-foot dome. Views of astronomical objects, including the Moon and the planet Saturn will be provided via the telescopes of the Carl Gamble Observatory. In addition, the Getz-Rogers Gallery, where images of celestial objects and a quarter-ton piece of the Canyon Diablo meteor are on display, will also be open to the public.

The Fryxell Geology Museum, which features one of the best collections of minerals and fossils in the Midwest, will offer hands-on mineral and fossil activities. Highlights in the museum include a wall of glowing, fluorescent rocks, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, and a complete 22-foot long skeleton of Cryolophosaurus, a large crested carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica.

Also featured at the event will be the Augustana Low Brass Choir directed by Dr. Iris Liu, adjunct instructor of low brass. The ensemble will present a family-friendly program featuring selections from the Star Wars and Jurassic Park soundtracks, "Jupiter" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets," "Moon River" and other musical favorites.

The observing areas are unheated so dress appropriate to the weather. In the event of cloudy sky conditions, telescope views may not be possible but the indoor programs will still be offered.