Events
Events
Class passes now available!
Members now have access to our Astronomy Class Pass! Buy a 6-month or year-long class to gain unlimited access to our ongoing class series for the specified time period! Use the pass to attend classes in person or to receive class recordings when you can't make it to the observatory! Check out our 2026 Astronomy Class Schedule
Scheduled to launch in late August, NASA’s newest space telescope will tackle some of astronomy’s biggest open questions: the nature of dark energy and dark matter, and the search for new worlds beyond our Solar System. Named for Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer and the “mother of the Hubble telescope”, will survey the infrared sky with a field of view over 100 times larger than Hubble’s. Join us to learn about this next giant leap in astronomy.
Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.
Tickets:
Non-members - $25/class
Members - $20/class
Student (with valid ID) - $10/class
Presenter: Dr. Wes Ryle
What looks like a single star to the naked eye often turns out to be two or more when examined with a telescope. These “double stars” have deep ties to the past research of the Cincinnati Observatory. Our founder, Ormsby Mitchel, is credited with the discovery of the prominent star Antares as a double. Learn about these cosmic pairs and the science behind their shared presence in the sky.
Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.
Tickets:
Non-members - $25/class
Members - $20/class
Student (with valid ID) - $10/class
Image credit: Jaspal Chadha
The Blaze Star: Waiting on a Once-in-80-Years Nova
Presenter: Dr. Wes Ryle
Somewhere in the constellation Corona Borealis, a white dwarf has spent decades quietly siphoning material from its red giant companion — and when it finally reaches its breaking point, the resulting explosion will briefly rival the North Star in brightness. Astronomers have been watching T Coronae Borealis, nicknamed the "Blaze Star," all year for an eruption that's been building since its last outburst in 1946, itself almost exactly 80 years after the one before it in 1866. It could ignite any night now — possibly even before we gather for class. Learn the physics behind this rare stellar explosion, how to spot it for yourself once it happens, and why astronomers can be so confident it's coming without knowing the exact night.
Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.
Tickets:
Non-members - $25/class
Members - $20/class
Student (with valid ID) - $10/class
Image credit: NASA
Saturn: King of the Rings
Presenter: Dr. Wes Ryle
The ringed planet is returning to our evening skies! A favorite for many celestial observers, Saturn’s rings are once again becoming visible as the planet moves out of the “edge-on” period experienced last year. Learn about our exploration of this remote gas giant planet, its icy rings, and its fascinating moons at this informal class.
Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.
Tickets:
Non-members - $25/class
Members - $20/class
Student (with valid ID) - $10/class
Image credit: NASA
