In Washington, DC, on Saturday June 22th from 6:00pm – 11:00pm, visitors will be a given a free guided tour of the sky at theAstronomy Festival on the National Mall.  This free public festival is organized by Dr. Donald Lubowich, Coordinator of Astronomy Outreach at Hofstra University.  The Astronomy Festival on the National Mall (AFNM) will feature solar, optical, and radio telescope observations; hands-on activities, demonstrations, hand-outs, posters, banners, and videos; a planetarium show under a 25-foot blow-up dome, and a chance to mingle with astronomers.

This year the Astronomy Festival on the National Mall will be presented in association with the Smithsonian Solstice Saturday events. The National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Museums will be open until midnight featuring free parties, programs, and performances.  Representatives from some of the nation’s foremost scientific institutions, organizations, and universities will present exciting demonstrations and answer questions about the latest astronomical discoveries or careers in science.

Dr. Lubowich and local amateur astronomers will set up twenty-five telescopes on the Mall. Starting at 6 pm, visitors will be able to view sunspots with the help of specially filtered telescopes.   After dusk and until 11 p.m. telescopes will provide close-up views of Jupiter and its moons, the Saturn with its beautiful rings, colorful double stars, and star clusters that sparkle like diamonds on black velvet.

Saturday, June 22, 2019; 6 – 11 pm;  in front of the Smithsonian Castle (1000 Jefferson Dr. SW)
Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)     Rain Location: Smithsonian Castle