NEW BERLIN — A lunar eclipse will give skywatchers across southeast Wisconsin a chance to see the moon take on a reddish hue Thursday night, and the Milwaukee Astronomical Society is opening its observatory to the public for the occasion.
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The society will host a free open house from 7:30 p.m. to midnight at its observatory in New Berlin. Visitors will be able to look through telescopes, learn more about eclipses and get tips on photographing the moon.
For William Gottemoller, a board member and program committee director with the Milwaukee Astronomical Society, the event is a chance to share a fascination with astronomy that began when he was a child.
Gottemoller, who is studying astrophysics and physics at Harvard University, said he often returns to the observatory when he is home in Wisconsin.
“Sometimes, like when I have a really stressful week, I’ll go to the nearest observatory,” Gottemoller said. “When I’m in Milwaukee, I go to the Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatory, and I often just look at the moon.” “It creates this unbelievable feeling of wonder,” Gottemoller said.
That fascination is also familiar to Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatory Director Lee Keith, who said his interest in astronomy began in third grade after a trip to a planetarium.
“I just became the astronomy expert in my class,” Keith said.
Decades later, Keith still spends much of his time at the observatory operating telescopes and photographing the night sky.
“As often as possible,” Keith said when asked how frequently he visits. “Whenever it’s clear, I come out here in the morning to take pictures of Saturn, the planets.”
On Thursday night, Keith and other members of the society hope to give the public a front-row seat to the sky as the lunar eclipse unfolds.
Keith said the goal is to give visitors an experience they do not get every night.
“To be able to see something in the sky change and see the moon turn red … and just be able to understand how the sky works better,” Keith said.
The open house is designed for people of all ages and experience levels.
“We don’t expect you to be an expert in astronomy,” Gottemoller said. “In fact, we hope that you’re not, because that means you have the opportunity to learn many, many new and interesting things.”
Gottemoller will be speaking at the event hoping to share his passion for space with others and Milwaukee Astronomical Society member Todd Weiler will give a presentation on how to capture the perfect shot.
Weiler, has photographed many lunar eclipses before. He said capturing the event can be challenging because the moon is constantly moving and the amount of light changes throughout the eclipse.
“A blood moon in astronomy is probably one of the most difficult things to image,” Weiler said.
Although his camera gear is pretty high tech, he said beginners do not need expensive equipment to get a good shot.
Weiler recommends using a cellphone’s night mode, taking multiple photos and finding a stable surface like a car hood, railing or picnic table, to help prevent camera shake.
For those less interested in getting the perfect photo, Weiler said the setup can be much simpler.
“The easiest way to watch a blood moon is with these guys — a simple pair of binoculars, a lawn chair, a bucket of popcorn and a friend,” he said.
The Milwaukee Astronomical Society says the open house will continue rain or shine, with indoor presentations planned even if clouds make viewing the eclipse difficult.
Address: 18850 W Observatory Rd, New Berlin, WI 53146
To learn more about the open house, click here.
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