Looking Up and Appreciating Our Neighborhood

On October 10, 2024, Little River Wetlands Project and the Fort Wayne Astronomical Society partnered for a special night. They met at Arrowhead Prairie. First, we were introduced to the history of the FWAS in the community. That included the various sites that were established and the struggle of encroaching urban light pollution. We were also told about events at the FWAS Observatory, the unique design of the building, if interested, how to become members of the Society.  
FWAS provided a presentation on current sights and happenings in the October sky. This included comets, a "mini moon", light pollution and the Northern Lights. The evening was brisk, but it was pointed out that cold temperatures helped reduce some of the light pollution.   
The FWAS volunteers gave a walking demonstration that illustrated the size of our solar system, the distance of each planet from the sun, and each planet’s relative size. It was the type of presentation that would hold the attention of audiences of all ages.   
During the past year, the collaboration between LRWP and FWAS has been growing and increasingly exciting. FWAS presented at Breakfast on the Marsh, preparing attendees for the Total Solar Eclipse. I then observed the eclipse with members of the FWAS. The Society had a spring outdoor presentation and then the October event. It is clear that when we think about our environment it is not enough to look at the water, the land, and the plants. We need to also go out at night and look up! 
After the presentation participants looked through the FWAS many telescopes. We saw the surface of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and twin or double stars. The highlight however was we were in fact able to see the borealis. It was a very special evening. 

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