TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The public is invited to peer through University of Alabama telescopes during five sky viewings scheduled throughout the fall semester.

The sessions, some of which include public talks and are hosted by UA’s department of physics and astronomy, begin with a Tuesday, Sept. 4 opportunity to look through UA’s 16-inch research grade telescope atop Gallalee Hall. The evening features a 7:30 p.m. talk by Dr. Patrick LeClair, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, in Gallalee, room 227. It will be followed, weather permitting, by an 8 p.m. viewing of Jupiter, hosted by Dr. Ray White, professor and chair of physics and astronomy.

Additional free opportunities during the fall semester include:

Friday, Oct. 5 – 8:30 p.m. (atop Gallalee Hall), hosted by Dr. Gene Byrd.

Friday, Nov. 2 – 7-10 p.m. (Moundville), star clusters, nebulae and galaxies, hosted by Drs. William Keel, Ron Buta

Tuesday, Nov. 13 – 7 p.m. (Gallalee), public talk by Dr. Ion Stancu in 227 Gallalee, followed by 7:30 skyviewing of the moon and Saturn, hosted by Keel.

Friday, Dec. 14 – 8 p.m. (atop Gallalee Hall), the moon, Mars, hosted by Dr. Phil Hardee.

Gallalee Hall is located near the northwest corner of University Boulevard and Hackberry Lane on the UA campus. For more information about scheduled events, phone 205/348-5050 or see http://www.astr.ua.edu/Public.html. All sky viewings are contingent on the weather. Cloudy conditions are not conducive to star gazing.

For the Nov. 2 viewing at UA's Moundville Archaeological Park, the public will have access to the 17- and 20-inch telescopes on pads in a field across the road from the park’s museum. Parking is available at the museum and near the park’s conference center.

The department of physics and astronomy is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.