Cloudy skies didn't keep New Year's Eve revelers from viewing planets, nebulas, and galaxies. It was all part of an astronomy outreach exhibit "From Earth to the Universe" on display at Monona Terrace for the annual US Bank Eve celebration.
The exhibit is a collection of 40 stunning images which range from photos taken by space based telescopes to others taken by local astrophotographers. As part of the family friendly New Year's Eve celebration, kids and parents participated in a scavenger hunt activity to find a hidden message among the images. An estimated 500 visitors attended the day's events.
Other visitors were simply content to browse through the photos and enjoy the wonders of the universe.
The exhibit was originally developed in 2009 for the International Year of Astronomy. Since then it has traveled across the state and been shown at the Milwaukee Planetarium, Yerkes Observatory and UW-Whitewater.
Later this spring the collection of images will be on display at the Overture Center as part of the Kids in the Rotunda series.