Since its construction in 1928, the University of Saskatchewan Observatory has been a gateway to the stars for students and Saskatonians alike.

Space has been at the forefront of cultural consciousness lately, with the Sept. 27 “supermoon” eclipse, the Sept. 28 NASA announcement of liquid water on Mars and the release of Matt Damon’s latest Hollywood project The Martian. U of S students can get their fix for free at the observatory every Saturday night during public viewing hours.

Upon entering the observatory, viewers can head to the basement where they can find information on the history of astronomy, the cosmos and some informational posters written by undergraduates. After checking out the basement, visitors can head back upstairs to the main event: the telescopes.

The observatory is equipped with a three-metre-long refracting telescope with a six-inch diameter lens able to capture detailed images, as well as several smaller telescopes scattered throughout the room. Public viewing hours are guided by volunteers and staff from both the U of S and the Saskatoon branch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, a group of amateur and professional astronomers.

These volunteers take visitors through various visible celestial objects — depending on the time of year — from planets to nebulae to the craters of the moon.

Stan Shadick, U of S professor in the department of physics and engineering, is the co-ordinator of the public access to the observatory. When asked what he likes to show first time stargazers, his answer was immediate and enthusiastic.

“The rings of Saturn,” Shadick said.

Saturn’s rings are arguably the most recognizable feature of our solar system. The planet is tilted on an angle in its orbit, which means that there are times when the rings are tilted toward viewers on Earth, allowing for maximum viewing, and other times when the razor-thin profile of the rings face Earth, making the experience less spectacular.

If it isn’t a good time to view Saturn though, there are plenty of other sights to see. Autumn is the perfect time for viewers to see a clear image of star clusters such as the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. The Pleiades are a tightly-knit grouping of young stars often likened to diamond dust.

As fall progresses, the constellation of Orion becomes a prominent evening sight. One of the “stars” that make up Orion isn’t actually a star at all, but the Orion Nebula, a place where stars are born. When viewers look up through the telescope at the nebula, they discover not a bright point of light, but a cloud of gas and dust.

The observatory also offers an Adopt-a-Star program where a donation is made to the program in exchange for your own star. Prices range, but this could be a great gift for an astronomy enthusiast!

As the sponsor of a new star, you’ll get information about the star including when it was discovered, by whom and any other notable information. Your donation is then used for the upkeep of existing equipment and the purchase of more. The observatory just had a “first light,” or inaugural use of a new telescope in the first week of October 2015, so the money is being put to visible use.

The observatory also gets involved in community events. On Oct. 17, together with the Saskatoon RASC, the observatory is organizing its annual trip to the Sleaford Astronomical Observatory, east of Saskatoon. This rural viewing location is far away from the light pollution of Saskatoon and provides some of the best opportunities to check out hard to find attractions. The group meets at the Saskatoon Field House parking lot to form a convoy of vehicles carrying as many telescopes as they can get their hands on, and everyone is welcome.

The U of S Observatory is a fun, free way to get more excited about the amazing world of astronomy and to appreciate the beautiful Saskatchewan skies all year long.

For more information, visit physics.usask.ca/observatory. Public hours change on a monthly basis to account for the changing time of sunset. October hours are 7:30–9:30 p.m.