Saturday (June 5) 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm

The Milky Way sits near the middle of an assembly of galaxies called the Local Group. This gathering, 10 million light-years wide, lives on the edge of an even larger collection of galaxy clumps called the Local, or Virgo, Supercluster.

As telescopes became more powerful, astronomers could take larger surveys, cataloging more galaxies and their motions, forming a bigger picture: galaxies concentrated along a plane in space. Just as most of the Milky Way’s stars reside in a thin disk, so do most of the galaxies in the Local Supercluster lie along the supercluster’s equator. The center of our supercluster shares a spot in the sky with the constellation Virgo.

Come out to the Schoolyard Observatory as we take you on a trip to our “closest” neighbors within the Virgo Supercluster.

Each 2-hour session will be confirmed by email at least 24 hours before scheduled according to the cloud cover forecast (< 30%). Tickets are transferable for any observatory nightly event in cases of poor weather conditions.

Have questions? Please contact us at Observatory@hawthornhollow.org.

Safety Precautions: During events, 6-foot social distancing will be maintained, and wearing a facial mask will be required. Telescope eyepiece and ladder handles will be sanitized before and after each use. Dress appropriately for nighttime outdoor weather, and plan for the blood-sucking flying insects.

Purchase tickets here or call 262-552-8196.