First Light Night

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First Light Night

Learn the stellar story of the telescope and the people who made Cincinnati the "Birthplace of American Astronomy".

By The Cincinnati Observatory

When and where

Date and time

Friday, April 14 · 8 - 10pm EDT

Location

Cincinnati Observatory 3489 Observatory Place Cincinnati, OH 45208

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.
Eventbrite's fee is nonrefundable.

About this event

On April 14, 1845, in the gray of a lingering twilight, Observatory founder Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel took his first look through the Great Cincinnati Telescope, the 3rd largest in the World. He saw the Moon, "her mountain heights, her rocky precipices and her dells", Jupiter, "globe of surpassing splendor", the Saturnian system, "the mind over whelmed in wonder and astonishment."

“First Light” marks the first time a telescope is used – the telescope’s official birthday.

Learn the stellar story of the telescope and the people who made Cincinnati the "Birthplace of American Astronomy".

Then look through the 178-year-old telescope at the stars (weather permitting).

Advance tickets: $12/adult, $7/child

Day-of tickets: $15/adult, $10/child

About the organizer

Inspiring generations to look to the stars

The mission of the Cincinnati Observatory is to maintain the integrity and heritage of an historic 19th century observatory and to educate, engage, and inspire our community about astronomy and science.

Our vision is to be a primary resource in furthering astronomy and science education through programming:

For K-12 schools and the public on and off our campus

For universities and classes for teacher professional development

That promotes the rich history of the Observatory

That strengthens our connection to allied STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) organizations

$7 – $12