Northern Illinois University will host a STEM Cafe event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at Open Range Southwest Grill in Sugar Grove. The event is free and open to the public.

According to a news release from NIU, the event will focus on space exploration and cosmic phenomena and viewing the annual Perseid meteor shower.

Open Range Southwest Grill is located at 1 Golfview Lane, Sugar Grove. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

A panel of experts will discuss space-related subjects. The audience then will head outside to observe the night sky with telescopes or the naked eye. Food service begins at 6:30 p.m. Talks begin at 7 p.m.

Speakers include:

• Shane Larson, research professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern University, who will discuss solar eclipses, including one coming up in Illinois in 2024.

• Joel Knapper, NASA Solar System ambassador, who will talk about space stations past, present and future.

• Jeremy Benson, physics lab manager at Northern Illinois University), who will introduce the Perseids and explain what to watch for in the night sky.

Northern Illinois University STEM Cafes are part of NIU STEAM and are designed to increase public awareness of the critical role that STEM fields play, according to the release.

Learn more at go.niu.edu/stemcafe.