Spooktacular Star Party

The Arne Slettebak Planetarium is hosting a Spooktacular Star Party on Friday, October 30, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. It's a public evening of astronomy on the campus of the Ohio State University, and costumes are welcome.

The night is built around a half-hour Halloween show inside the planetarium. Once that's done, the action moves to the Smith Lab observing deck, two flights of stairs up from the planetarium, where telescopes will be set up and staff will be on hand to help you find things in the sky. If you'd rather avoid the stairs, you can email ahead and the team will set up a telescope on the plaza instead.

It helps to know what the planetarium is: it's the outreach arm of the Department of Astronomy at Ohio State rather than a full-fledged science center, and it runs public shows subject to staffing. This particular night combines the indoor show with the outdoor viewing, so you get both the guided presentation and the chance to look through a telescope with someone there to point things out.

The whole thing is free. It runs from 6:30 to 9:30 PM on Friday, October 30, at the Arne Slettebak Planetarium in Smith Lab 5033, 174 W. 19th Ave. in Columbus.