The Ruth Patrick Science Education Center will hold the annual Family Earth and Sky Night at the facility on the USC Aiken campus from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
The event, which celebrates National Astronomy Day and Earth Day, will offer a variety of hands-on activities, planetarium shows and outdoor observing - all at no cost.
Admission to planetarium shows will be $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for grade-school students and $1 for USC Aiken students, faculty and staff with proper ID.
The show, "Engineering the International Space Station," will be presented on a first-come, first serve basis, with start times at 7, 8 and 9 p.m.
Once it gets dark, the observatory will open for viewing through the Bechtel telescope.
Amateur astronomers will set up other telescopes on the lawn.
Members of the Astronomy Club of Augusta will orient views of the night sky: naked-eye, binocular and telescopic.
"This is a good opportunity to learn the most important constellations and stars, and how to star-hop from one to another," said John Hutchens, Ruth Patrick's director of special programs, in a press release.
For more information and driving directions, visit rpsec.usca.edu or call 803-641-3313.
Senior writer Rob Novit is the Aiken Standard's education reporter.
