Our red celestial cousin Mars will make its closest approach to Earth this weekend and, weather permitting, The University of Toledo Ritter Planetarium & Brooks Observatory will offer guests the opportunity to make out its features through UT’s one-meter telescope.

“This alignment only occurs once every two and a half years and guests will be able to make out mountains, clouds, and the polar ice cap,” said Alex Mak, Ritter’s associate director. “There are really very few communities in the nation that have access to as large and advanced a telescope as UT’s and we want to make sure the public has access to it.”

Beginning at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, March 3, guests will be shown a short presentation on the 40-foot dome in the newly renovated theatre. Following that 6.5 million-pixel display, guests will be escorted up to the telescope.

If cloud cover doesn’t permit viewing on Saturday, both the planetarium show and the viewing will be canceled and rescheduled for the same time on Sunday, March 4.

The show costs $7 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under. Children under 3 are free.

Media Coverage
The Blade (March 1, 2012)