Star gazing on a cloudy night

By Jillian Marshall


Vestal, NY (WBNG Binghamton) The Winter Star Party was an opportunity for kids to learn just how big the universe may be. They even had the help of a NASA scientist.

The party was at the Kopernik Observatory.

The special guest of the evening was Dr. Michelle Thaller, of the Goddard Spaceflight Center.

Thaller says that scientists believe that things made out of matter, or atoms, only make up about 4-percent of the universe. Her goal Saturday night, was to help convince those who did not believe.

"I'm hoping by the end (of tonight) that people think that there actually is a good reason to believe that and means that there is a big mysterious universe out there," said Thaller.

The event also celebrated the 540th birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus.