Twinkle Twinkle

A couple of weeks ago, Jacob and I went to the University of Michigan Planetarium & Observatory. This particular field trip took place after dark so we would be able to gaze through their telescopes and see celestial bodies in the night sky. First, we sat in a domed planetarium, which showed an awesome simulation of the movements of stars and planets. Some astronomy students then brought us up to the roof of the building where they aimed their telescopes at distant objects. Luckily, it was clear outside and, among other things, three planets all just happened to be visible that night. We peeked at the moon, the stars that make up Orion's Belt, and some constellations. Then the amateur stargazers directed the telescopes towards Mars, Venus, and Saturn. The "Red Planet" and the "Evening Star" appeared bright and stunning in the sky. The real treat of the night, however, was seeing Saturn - not just the dazzling glow of an orb off in space, but the actual planet with its distinct and unmistakable rings. I was duly impressed and cannot wait to return to the Planetarium for one of their upcoming open houses this summer.