Seeing Stars: Yuri's Night Fundraiser for an Austin Planetarium

Austin is the largest city in America without a planetarium. It's easy to see a spectacular spread of stars deep in the heart of West Texas, but local educators and city-bound stargazers have to make their way San Antonio (or Killeen!).

A group of Austinites at the non-profit Friends of the Austin Planetarium is working to change that, and they'd like to invite you to Yuri's Night, their fundraising party this Saturday.

Show up at The Belmont at 7:30 and be rewarded several-fold with Russian-themed dishes (we're hearing caviar and vodka!) in honor of the first (hu)manned flight into space. There will be a silent auction and a speech by Austin's own space tourist Richard Garriott, and after 10:30 it's free.

They're shooting for the stars: $10 million bones and a 2010 opening date. Even if you're the type to lament the lack of "Dark Sky" and protest that you can drive a few hours and see the real thing, as usual this is about the kids. Star Parties are an absolute blast, but dragging 40 5th graders out there after dark?. . . Problematic.

As far as we're concerned the auction is the major pull. Remember the spacejunk/fireball in the sky that made news a few weeks back? It was a meteor, and you can buy a piece of it when it gets sold off. Smells like history, baby!