Belleville to Hold Dark Sky Event

The Belleville Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to step outside and ponder possibilities over probabilities, for our families, businesses and the greater community, as part of a UFO Day Dark Sky Event: a shared experience of viewing the night sky, with less intrusion from artificial light. Participating is simple and free: shut off all residential and business exterior lights for 30 minutes – and any interior lights that “spill” outside – as much as is safely possible at 9:30 p.m., Saturday, October 31, 2020. Then, step onto your porch or back yard and look to the skies.
While we cannot gather in the same way due to COVID-19, we might ponder the possibility that this is literally happening, “once in a blue moon.” According to Kay Kriewald, Senior Outreach Specialist with UW Space Place, a blue moon is commonly known as the second full moon in a calendar month. This particular blue moon will rise at approximately 6:11 p.m. on Halloween, and it won’t be the only thing to see that evening over Belleville. Weather permitting, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will all make an appearance as “identified objects,” even with the naked eye. When the moon rises, look to its right in the southeastern sky to find Mars. You should be able to notice its red coloring. Then, face southwest and see if you can find Jupiter and Saturn; Jupiter will be the brighter of the two objects and Saturn will be the fainter object just to the left of Jupiter. At 9:30 p.m., with the lighting reduced, see if you can find these planets again. Kriewald notes we have all become so accustomed to seeing a light-polluted sky, that we may be amazed by how much more we can see with reduced lights. All three planets will be visible with the naked eye, and if you have a pair of binoculars or home telescope, you may be surprised. Under the right conditions, the moons of Jupiter and rings of Saturn may be seen. By 9:30 p.m., they will be very close to the Southwestern horizon – so don’t wait too long to give it a try before they “fall” behind the horizon.
The idea for the UFO Day Dark Sky Event came from the International Dark Sky Association; a non-profit that “works to protect the night skies for present and future generations.” Their programming includes efforts to help keep our view of the night sky accessible, including the designation of Dark Sky Sanctuaries or Parks, such as Wisconsin’s Newport State Park in Door County.