The Des Moines Astronomical Society will host an open public viewing at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Ashton Observatory at Ashton Wildwood Park.
To get to the observatory from Newton, take Highway 14 north to Highways F17/223. Turn west on F17 and pass through Baxter and continue to West 122nd Street North. Turn south on 122nd Street and then west into Ashton Wildwood Park, just past the Ashton Chapel.
Visit www.dmasonline.org for more information. A program on "Optical Fun and Tricks" will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 10.