REDDITCH Astronomical Society showed curious amateur astronomers the wonders of the night sky at a public outreach event last Saturday at Morton Stanley Cafe.
Residents gathered early in the evening, with the initially cloudy sky allowing people to ask questions about the different types of telescopes on show.
The cafe stayed open until late to serve refreshments to the astronomers.
Breaks appeared in the clouds as the sun began to set, resulting in more members joining the group.
The first viewing spectacle of the evening came through the flyby of the International Space Station, and as the sky went fully dark people were able to see Saturn surrounded by rings of rock and dust.
Jupiter was the next planet to appear over the horizon, with residents first able to see three of its largest moons before seeing the positions change, at which point the fourth moon drifted into view.
At the end of the evening, the Milky Way became visible even without a telescope, before astronomers looked further beyond to try and see the Andromeda galaxy.
Redditch Astronomical Society was formed in 2007 and is comprised of amateur astronomers who meet monthly.
The society alternates guest speaker events with open evenings.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/RedditchAstronomicalSociety for more information.
