Comet May Be Visible on Monday as Observatory Opens to Public

The public is invited to catch a glimpse of the comet PannStarrs through the lenses of the new observatory at Ocean City High School from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, March 11.

The forecast calls for a cloudy evening with a chance of showers after 2 a.m. (Tuesday). Any cancellation of the Monday observations will be posted on the district website by 6:45 p.m.

The special astronomical event will be visible low in the western sky after sunset, according to Astronomy teacher Dr. John Herrmann. In addition to the comet, people can observe Jupiter and its mini-solar system of moons, the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades, and other celestial gems of a moonless firmament.

The observatory is located behind Ocean City High School near Carey Stadium. People who attend are asked to enter the observatory from the beach block of Fifth Street. There is no fee to the public.

The new observatory was dedicated in September on city property. The private, nonprofit Ocean City Education Foundation and the Ocean City Free Public Library donated money to create the unique educational resource at the high school.