The University of Illinois Springfield’s popular Fright Night Star Parties will resume this week and run through the end of October. The dates are Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. Friday Night Star Parties are held from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, at the UIS Observatory on the roof of Brookens Library.

The Star Parties are hosted by John Martin, UIS associate professor of astronomy and physics. During the events, the observatory’s telescopes will be used to view a variety of celestial objects, including the moon, the planet Jupiter, the Orion Nebula and star clusters.

The Star Party on Sept. 4 will be “Charlie’s Night” to celebrate the life and contributions of UIS Star Party founder Charles Schweighauser (1936-2025). There will be a special display of photos and artifacts remembering Schweighauser and his legacy in astronomy outreach and education. The observatory will be open for people to see the displays even if the weather does not permit telescope viewing.

The Star Party on Sept. 25 will be the second annual Tsukimi Harvest Moon Star Party in memory of Denyce Gammell and sponsored by Marjorie Wallé, Ed.D. Tsukimi translates as “moon viewing.” It is a traditional Japanese autumn harvest celebration around the time of the full moon closest to the fall equinox, also known as the harvest moon. Telescope viewing and activities that evening will be moon-themed and focused.

The Star Party on Oct. 9 is part of UIS Homecoming Weekend. The observatory will be open that night for tours of the facility and the educational displays, even if the weather does not cooperate for telescope viewing.

Friday Night Star Parties are free and open to the public. Walk-ups are welcome, and no registration is required. The entrance to the observatory is located outside Brookens Library on the southeast corner of the building. Anyone with accessibility needs is encouraged to contact Martin about Accessible Star Parties.

Star Parties may be canceled due to cloudy weather. To check if the event is suitable for viewing, call 217-206-8342 at 7 p.m. on the evening of the event. Participants may also follow @UISObservatory on Bluesky, or Martin’s Instagram account (@SPIAstroGuy), for updates.

For more information on Star Parties, email Martin at jmart5@uis.edu.