9-18-97
ATHENS, Ohio -- Stargazers don't need high-powered telescopes to view objects in distant galaxies: On a clear night, starlight from the Andromeda Galaxy, some 2 million light years from Earth, is clearly visible with the naked eye, according to astronomers in Ohio University's Department of Physics and Astronomy.
The Andromeda Galaxy and other celestial objects will be the focus of a guided star walk Sept. 26 at The Ridges on the Athens campus. The two-mile walk will be led by Tom Statler and Joe Shields, assistant professors of physics and astronomy.
"For anybody curious about Earth's place in the universe, pure stargazing is the best way to start, and this is the best time of year to do it," Statler said. "Without even using binoculars, you can see thousands of stars in our own Milky Way Galaxy, as well as Andromeda, which is the most distant object visible to the unaided eye."
The walk will begin at 8 p.m. from the front of the Kennedy Museum of American Art in Lin Hall on the Ridges. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring flashlights and may bring binoculars.
Reservations are required, and space is limited. In the event of bad weather, the star walk will be at 8 p.m. October 3. For more information, call the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 614-593-1718.