Observatory
The Observatory will be open on May 3 and May 17, from 8:30pm - 10:30pm. If it is clear, we will take out telescopes and look at some beautiful astronomical objects. We also give a tour of the facility, which includes the one-tenth scale model of the Hale Telescope at Mt. Palomar and images that we have taken with the telescopes on campus.
The Observatory will be open the first and third Fridays of the month for the Spring Semester: January 19, February 2 and 16, March 1 and 15, April 5 and 19, and May 3 and 17. Starting in April, the Observatory will be open from 8:30pm - 10:30pm. Masks are not required indoors at this point in time. No prior reservations are required, but if you have a group of greater than 10 people that you would like to bring to the observatory, call 607-962-9494 and leave a message with a phone number so we can return your call.
Parking for the Observatory is available in the Digital Dome parking lot. Parking at the Observatory is reserved for our visitors who require accessible parking. All of our events are free and open to the public!
If you are interested in attending a Digital Dome Show, please check out their link here.
EVENTS
Artemis: Returning to the Moon, then on to Mars
Friday, May 3
7:30pm
Talk given by Zoe Learner Ponterio, Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility, Cornell University
It’s been over 50 years since humans last set foot on the Moon, the only other world we’ve visited in person. There’s been a lot of buzz about sending humans to Mars, but there’s still a lot to do and learn at our nearest neighbor before we venture beyond. Join us to learn about Artemis, the program that will begin an era of humans living, working, and exploring the Moon, and how it will pave the way for humanity’s exploration throughout the Solar System.
TELESCOPES
We have many types and sizes of telescopes here at our Observatory. Our two largest telescopes are both reflectors — the 20" and the 16". Our 20" telescope is the one-tenth scale model of the Hale Telescope at Mount Palomar in California.
We have 14", 12", 10", 8", and 6" reflectors that were built by members of the Elmira-Corning Astronomical Society. We have 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain reflectors in addition to 4" refractors and a solar telescope.
Everything at the observatory is free and open to the public!
Parking is available in the Planetarium parking lot. The only parking at the Observatory is reserved for our visitors requiring accessible parking.
Questions?
Deborah Dann, Director of the Observatory