Guided Tours of the Stars:

When you arrive at the Observatory for your two hour guided tour, the dome will already be open, and the telescope ready for use.   The first hour will be spent using the telescope and your eyes to peer up at the constellations, planets, the moon, and famous objects like the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, and a host of other objects.  Your eyes will gradually adjust to the dark during this hour, and you will be able to see fainter and fainter objects.

After the first hour or so, the digital camera will be hooked up to the telescope, and we will move downstairs to the warm room to take some pictures.  You will learn how the camera focuses, and then be able to choose several objects to photograph.  The camera will take pictures that are almost as large as the computer screen, and will show much more detail than your eye alone can see through the telescope.  Faint details of delicate spiral galaxy arms become readily visible!   The intertwined bright and dim bands of swirled nebulas come to life!  Objects too faint or small to see with your eyes through the telescope are easily captured.

Several of your pictures can be printed out and taken home as trophies of your visit.  Young and old alike will have fun, see amazing sights, and learn something new!

• See the splendors of the sky with your eyes, and then compare that with what the camera can see.

• Use the same technology as the Hubbell Space Telescope to take you own pictures.

• You choose the targets, and then capture detailed closeups of many splendors in the sky.

• Techniques, images, and theories normally seen only in a text book or web sites can be practiced, hands on, by you!

• See and take home detailed pictures of planets, the moon, asteroids, nebulas, galaxies, star clusters, and more!