The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Behlen Observatory will mark its 40th anniversary with a free viewing night for the public.

The event is scheduled to run from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 19.

Provided the sky is clear, visitors will be able to see several celestial objects with the observatory's 30-inch telescope and with smaller telescopes set up outside the observatory in Mead, which is in eastern Nebraska

There will be a special talk on the history of the observatory, beginning at 8 p.m.

The observatory also will be open to the public from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 16. Additional public nights are planned for the spring semester.

More information can be found on the observatory website, http://astro.unl.edu/observatory.