NEW HAVEN, Ind. (WANE) – After being closed since last April because of the pandemic, things are looking up for a night sky observatory in New Haven.

Star*Quest Observatory at Jefferson Township Park in New Haven reopens this Saturday, July 10 for public viewing of the night sky. The facility is located on Webster Road and opens to the public one hour after sunset and stays open for two hours. However, viewing will not occur if the skies are not clear.

Public stargazing normally occurs on every clear Saturday night from April through November.

The Fort Wayne Astronomical Society, who oversees the operation of the observatory, is excited for the return of public stargazing events. What can you expect to see? Adriane Day, a member of the Fort Wayne Astronomical Society Board and a volunteer for the Star*Quest Observatory says “we take a look at planets that are in the sky, nebulae, galaxies, double stars, globular clusters, and the moon.”

The observatory was completed in 2017 and offers private star parties for boy scouts, girl scouts, and classes, in addition to the public events.

Admission is free to all public events. The observatory features four telescopes, as well as additional concrete pads outside for the public to set up their own telescopes. A sun dial is also on display outside of the main entrance.

The observatory requests that unvaccinated individuals wear a mask to all events. Donations are also encouraged, but not required.

For more information, visit the Star*Quest Observatory’s Facebook page or the page dedicated to the observatory on the Fort Wayne Astronomical Society’s website.