KOKOMO, Ind. —Prepare for eclipse season by attending Sunday’s free Indiana University Kokomo Observatory open house.

Patrick Motl, professor of physics, will begin the open house at 8 p.m. March 10 with discussion of a penumbral eclipse on March 25, and the total solar eclipse on April 8. He will also share information about NASA’s return to the moon with the Odysseus lander.

After the presentation, stargazers may be able to see Jupiter and the winter hexagon constellations through the Observatory’s telescopes, a six-inch Takahashi refracting telescope and a 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope mounted together. The Takahashi provides exceptionally sharp images of planets, while the Meade allows viewers to see fainter objects in the sky, due to its larger light-collecting area.

Observation will continue through 10 p.m., weather permitting.

The Observatory is at 2660 S. Washington Street. Free parking is available on campus.

Motl also is hosting a series of events leading up to the April 8 2024 total solar eclipse. The next Dark as Dusk event on Monday, March 11, prepares attendees to take pictures and video of the eclipse safely. Additional sessions include multicultural perspectives on eclipses, and eclipse viewing opportunity at the Observatory. Advance registration is required. For complete details and to register, go to  expand.iu.edu/browse/key/programs/dark-as-dusk-series