Saturn and the Moon were the stars of the show at Saturday night’s star party, an event where students and amateur astronomers alike gather to observe the night sky.

In the Annie’s parking lot, the clear sky made conditions for star gazing better than expected.  The Star Party was put on by the River Bend Astronomy Club, the EHS Science club and the STEM Center at SIUE.

Students and families in the area could stop by and take a look through the telescopes to see the Moon, Saturn and different stars from 7-10 p.m.

The telescope with the longest viewing line was pointed at Saturn.  Saturn seemed to be the most interesting part of the night, according to senior Megan Brase.

“It looked almost like a sticker, but it was really cool and interesting,” Brase said.

The students who went were mostly from Mr. Boedeker’s Honors Astronomy class and the Earth and Space class at EHS.  Mr. Boedeker used the Star Party as a fun and interactive way for students to earn extra credit.

“Most kids have never looked through a telescope, this gives them a chance to do that,” Mr. Boedeker said.

As the night progressed, more and more people turned out for the event.  Senior Colin Hauch was stunned at the sight of Saturn.  It’s amazing to him how “we are able to see planets so far away with just a small telescope,” Hauch said.

There will be another Star Party again in the next coming months, as they are usually held quarterly throughout the school year.  Come out next time for a fun night of star gazing and even get some custard from Annie’s while you’re at it.