The sky opened up to a few families and individuals this month. Those who came to the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center in Cedar Crest on April 2 were treated to a free guided viewing of the evening sky with a few motorized, computerized telescopes and even a handmade telescope.

As the stars came out and temperatures dropped, the owners of the telescopes explained how they worked and pointed them at the moon and stars for an up-close view of the night sky.

The event, which is part of the International Year of Astronomy and commemorates the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first telescope, was put on by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation and the Albuquerque Astronomical Society.

Sandia Mountain Natural History Center is at 60 Columbine Lane in Cedar Crest.