It's our mostly-monthly public open house: you get to use our equipment and our volunteers' knowledge to see what's out there in the sky tonight.

We usually stay as long as the skies are clear and there are interested observers - usually around midnight, but on nice nights even later.

You don't have to stay the whole time - though we ask that you aim your headlights away from the observing field in case you have to leave early. Feel free to email us if you have any questions.

We only require a few things for your safety and enjoyment:

• Astronomical twilight will begin around 7 PM, so please plan to be at the observatory earlier. Be careful with headlights on your way in, especially after sundown. Make sure to turn the dome lights off if possible, and park your car facing away from the observing field if you have running lights.
  
• Please don't use white light flashlights when others are observing. Others will have flashlights, but if you'd like to bring your own, you can easily make a red-light flashlight that will help you get around in the dark and is safe for night vision. I make reasonably decent ones with a red marker and an index card*, but you can read other ideas here.
  
• No alcoholic beverages are permitted.

Other advice to help you make the most of your evening:

• Weather, especially in Michigan, is unpredictable. We are always (some might say irrationally) hopeful, but if there's a solid chance of an extended downpour we are not likely to do any observing! If you're not sure about the weather, call Bob Berta, Marty Kunz, or Jonathan Kade to check if the open house has been canceled.
  
• Observing is an outside activity, so dress accordingly - a little warmer than the temperature would indicate. Even in the summer, it can get surprisingly chilly at night. Like any other activity, the key to lasting is layers, layers, layers! In the wintertime and early spring, plan to wear at least two layers of every garment: socks, pants, and a shirt. Core temperature is important too, so pay extra attention to keeping your torso warm - an insulated vest can work wonders.
  
• In the winter months, it pays to have a thermos of a warm beverage. Coffee has its drawbacks; less-caffeinated drinks like tea and hot cocoa can be more enjoyable. Die-hard observers who need to keep warm have been known to drink hot liquid gelatin - it keeps one very warm, at the cost of only a few taste buds.
  
• We are currently offering the observatory as a warm room, so if it's too chilly outside you can warm up for a bit inside. We use a member's propane heater when is is available and normal ceramic space heaters otherwise, so we can only get the temperature up to around 30 degrees over the outside temperature - not bad if it's 30F outside, rather cold if it's 2F.
  
• Importantly, the Camp Rotary grounds have full-service public restrooms, with warm running water and other modern conveniences.

If there's something specific you'd like to see, we'll do our best to make it happen. We have safe, filtered solar telescopes to look at the sun in ]amazing detail before it gets dark; if you're interested in seeing our local star, let us know and we'll try to make a telescope available.

* Take a cheap drugstore flashlight - preferably not too bright to start with. The omnipresent Eveready $1 plastic flashlight works well. Screw off the plastic cap and pop out the clear plastic "lens" (aka bezel). You can paint the bezel with translucent nail polish, use a red permanent marker, or red cellophane. For better light blocking, you can trace the disk on a sheet of white paper or an index card. Cut out the disk of paper, line it up with the bezel, and screw the cap back on.