Have you ever wondered about the infinite void in the sky with the little dots sprinkled across the sky? Turns out, there is a place very close to us where anyone can find out more about the infinite universe. 

Hyde Memorial Observatory placed at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln, Nebraska is open on Saturdays for anyone to go and learn more about the night sky, but there is a catch that makes it even more enticing is that the presentations, and telescope viewings are FREE.  

Coming up really soon, Hyde Memorial Observatory will be hosting viewings for the partial solar eclipse coming on April 8, 2024. The observatory will be open from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. that day to allow the public to view the eclipse at 12:38 p.m. for entirely free. They will also have free viewing glasses on a first come first served basis and will also be playing informational videos. 

  The observatory has four different telescopes, many different presentations, is ran by volunteers, and has many more things to offer.  

The observatory has a rich history which is traced back to The Prairie Astronomy Club, that was founded in 1960. In October 1977, the observatory was officially opened after a long struggle of promoting, gaining members, purchasing equipment, and the hardest part of all, convincing the city council to help build the observatory.  

Since then, the observatory has seen 47 years of events, use, struggles with funding and the city, and people wondering about the stars.  

If you would like to keep our own version of the famous Griffith Park Observatory alive, they are many ways people can get involved including visiting, donating, and volunteering. 

Anyone can go visit Hyde Memorial Observatory any Saturday starting March 15 until August 31 from sundown to 11:00 p.m. to look through their telescopes, listen and watch presentations, and learn more about the stars for entirely FREE.