On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) welcomed more than 260 astronomy enthusiasts to its 4th annual Astronomy Night Out—a celebration of science, community, and the night sky. Hosted on Northwestern University’s campus, the event featured a captivating public lecture, hands-on science activities, and stargazing through the historic Dearborn Observatory telescope.
The evening’s keynote talk, “Exploring the Milky Way,” was delivered by Northwestern and CIERA Professor Emeritus and co-founder David Meyer, who took the audience on a visual and scientific journey through our Milky Way galaxy. CIERA Director Vicky Kalogera welcomed guests to the lecture, one of several special events marking the Center’s 15th-year anniversary.
With the aid of dazzling images captured by the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes, Meyer explored the stars, nebulae, and star clusters that form the vibrant structure of the Milky Way. He revealed how this disk-shaped spiral galaxy—spanning over 100,000 light-years—contains some 300 billion stars interwoven with interstellar gas and stardust.
Meyer’s engaging storytelling illuminated not only the galaxy’s structure, but also its history, evolution, and future. From the faint band of light visible on clear nights to the deep-space observations made possible by modern telescopes, his talk brought new perspective to a familiar feature of the night sky.
Before and after the lecture, guests immersed themselves in a variety of interactive exhibits and activities hosted by local science and education organizations, including Scopes in the City with The Chicago Astronomer, Code Your Dreams, local space artists, and the SkAI Institute. CIERA volunteers guided attendees to the Dearborn Observatory, where they had a rare chance to view Mars through the observatory’s historic telescope.
The event attracted a diverse crowd, including longtime Evanston residents and Northwestern alumni. Among them were Roberta (Corky) Siegfriedt and her husband, William Siegfriedt, both from the Class of 1975.
“After being away from Evanston for a while, we came back, bought a house, raised our family, and we come to campus often for sporting, arts, and intellectual events,” said Corky. “We are regulars at CIERA, where the astronomy faculty make learning exciting and fun. That’s why we keep coming back.”
As the fourth installment of an annual tradition, this year’s Astronomy Night Out continued CIERA’s mission to connect the public with the cosmos – offering an evening of wonder, discovery, and community under the stars.
These are Corky and William Siegfriedt!
Learn more about CIERA’s Astronomy Night Out.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Ng4GYzDkU