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Blueberry Pond Observatory:

Enjoy a guided tour of the stars like you have never seen before!

Evening session are available in one-hour, or two-hour formats, and can start as early as 6:30 PM in the Winter, and 9:30 PM in the Summer.
Call 207-619-2293 to schedule a session!

New!  Take pictures like the ones on this website from your home or classroom using the new robotic telescope setup at BPO.

Our robotic telescope and camera systems capture pictures all night long for your astronomy projects at home, elementary school, high school or college.

Click here to visit our new website.

Sample Gift Certificate

Gift Certificates are available for the holidays, and birthdays.

 

Eight Posters available showing various special astronomical projects done at the observatory.

Hundreds of Maine families, students, and Maine vacationers enjoy our special tours, since December 1999

Also, check out the new local weather clock located at the bottom of this page.

The picture below shows some of the sights in a typical night sky in Maine:

 

Astronomy Highlights for Winter:

The bright star forming Orion Nebula is visible all night long, as the famous Andromeda Galaxy sets to the west.  The constellation Taurus the Bull features the wispy Crab Nebula.

Jupiter is visible every evening at the moment.  And Moon craters  make a great complement to planet viewing on nights that the moon is visible.

For more information on what you can see in the night sky this week, click here and visit "Sky and Telescope" magazine's weekly listings!

 

Pick a program that meets your needs, and make an appointment by calling 207-619-2293:

We have something to offer to beginners, amateurs, and expert astronomers alike...

1. Guided Tours for anyone Spend an hour using the telescope with your eyes, then use the digital camera for an hour and take home your pictures that night!  Works best for groups of 2-5 people.
2. New! Remote Robotic access to the observatory Bring digital astronomy right to your doorstep at home or at the school classroom by using our telescope and cameras remotely.  Create your observing plan for your own customized astronomy projects, or pick from many offered at BPO for hands on astronomical education.  Your observing plan gets executed throughout the night by the robotic software, telescope, and camera to create detailed images used for your project.

Learn about astronomy like you never have before with such hands on projects measuring the rotation of asteroids, creating HR diagrams, observing variable star cycles, or creating scrapbooks of planets, comets, or types of objects that make up our galaxy like nebulas, star clusters, and super nova remnants.  You could even learn how to do your own search for new super novas or new comets and asteroids.

Call us at 207-619-2293 for more information on this new opportunity at the observatory.

3. Star Parties for large groups Bring a group of 20-40 or more people to the observatory for a specially formatted star party with a mix of telescope observing, digital photography, and astronomy presentations.  A great educational experience!
4. Elementary School Classroom Visits Students come to the observatory in groups of 4-5 for two hour observing/photographing sessions that complement their classroom studies.  Brings what students read about in textbooks to life in front of their own eyes.
5. High School Student Advanced Visits Teams of 2-3 students make a series of visits to the observatory to conduct astronomy projects using the digital camera, computers and databases at the observatory.  The results of these visits can be used for classroom reports, or science fairs.  Funding currently available from a MSGC grant.
6. College Student/Faculty Advanced Visits Teams of 2-3 students or faculty use the observatory for astronomy labs focusing on a wide range of astrometry and photometric exercises.  Eventually spectrometry will also be an option.  Funding currently available from a MSGC grant.
7. Daytime Tour of observatory If your schedule does not permit an evening visit, schedule a quick daytime tour to see the inner workings of the observatory and take home some deep sky pictures taken on previous nights.
8.  Photographic Astronomy Course for Two

Click here to read more about this course!

(Advanced Astrophotography Courses)

Take an advanced astronomy course covering eight hours of observing and photographing with the CCD camera.  Create a collection of pictures and put them into your own spectacular poster. Click here for more information!
9. Gift Certificates:

Your own Two hour Guided Tours

2-4 people at a time.

customized with your personal message

Give loved ones and friends "Two Hour Astronomy Adventures" for the holidays, for birthdays and other special occasions.  The certificates contain several pictures from the observatory and are personalized with your own greetings.

Call 688-4410 to order!

Sample Gift Certificate

10. Posters:

Eight different choices...

Trapezium Galaxy close-up Star Clusters, Jupiter, and Saturn collection Nebulas in detail

Moon close-up Galaxy Classification system

Crescent Nebula close-up Astronomical Objects collection Measuring an Asteroid's Rotation

Each poster highlights some of the Advanced Astronomy Projects conducted at BPO by various High School Students.  Displayed in the posters are hours and hours worth of exposures created during their various projects.  Posters titles include:
  • Trapezium Galaxy close-up
  •   Star Clusters, Jupiter and Saturn collection
  • Nebulas in detail
  • Moon close-up
  • Galaxy Classification system
  • Crescent Nebula close-up
  •  Astronomical Objects collection
  •   Measuring an Asteroid's Rotation

Call 688-4410 to order!

 

Click here to see an image of two asteroids passing near M95...

Blueberry Pond Observatory
355 Libby Road
Pownal, ME 04069
Phone 207-619-2293

 

Director: Thurston Searfoss

Call for more information, or contact us by E-mail.

Sponsorship inquiries for school programs welcome.

 

 

View some of the Pictures taken at Blueberry Pond Observatory:

See nebula pictures taken at the observatory

See Nebula Images taken at the observatory

See Star Cluster Images taken at the observatory

See Star Cluster Images taken at the observatory

See galaxy images taken at the observatory

See Galaxy Images taken at the observatory

See Planet and Soloar System Images taken at the observatory

See Planet and Solar System Images taken at the observatory

 

Find additional information on the observatory from these links:

Come visit for a two hour guided tour of the stars!

Or come by to do your own advanced digital photographing sessions!

What else can you do while at the Observatory?

Equipment at the Observatory

Location and directions to Blueberry Pond Observatory

Techniques to digital astronomical photography

Links to other sites of interest

 

Weather Clock for Blueberry Pond Observatory over the next few days:

 

Need a place to sleep after a late night at the observatory?

40 sites for tenting and RVs are one mile away...

Take a look at

Blueberry Pond Campground

near the Observatory!

 

Do you like strategy computer games?  Do you like turn based deep thinking games like chess?

Then try the new "Lost Admiral Returns" naval strategy game via this link!

 

Guided Tours ] Advanced Sessions ] Activities ] Techniques ] Equipment ] Directions ] Prices ] Links ] Pictures ] High School Projects ]

 

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