Abbitt Observatory

In the Abbitt Observatory, we safely view the heavens with a variety of instruments, including our 16 inch Meade telescope. We offer daytime observations of the Sun, as well as periodic nighttime views of the stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies and other celestial wonders.

The observatory is accessible to all, via elevator, and the main telescope can be raised and lowered to fit the height of the viewer. 

Other instruments used at our observatory include:

8” Celestron telescope

14” Celestron telescope

Sunspotter

Solar viewers with #14 arc welder’s glass

Spectroscope

Weather and Staff Permitting

Summer Hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day): Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Winter Hours: Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 12 noon - 5 p.m.

Please note that even minor weather considerations, such as haze or wispy clouds, can completely block our view of the sky. We cannot guarantee that the observatory will be operable at any given time. We are happy to conduct tours of our observatory even on cloudy days – please call ahead for staff availability. We cannot allow guests on our rooftop deck during rain or thunderstorms for safety reasons.

Nighttime viewing is available during special events, depending on the weather. For more information on special evening events, please click here.

The museum has a 16-inch Meade LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with an Autostar II Hand Controller. This means the telescope opening is 16 inches across, it was made by the Meade Company, it comes with a GPS system built in, the eyepiece is attached directly opposite the telescope opening, and the telescope is computer controlled.

We are using an altazimuth mount, rather than an equatorial, with a telescoping pier made by Pier-Tech. This allows us to raise or lower the telescope for the viewer without changing the focus. 

The answer to this depends on the eyepiece used. Usually we use a 26mm eyepiece, which means we are magnifying about 180 times.

A telescope like this one with a Hydrogen Alpha Filter costs about $18,000.  However, great views can be had with far less expensive equipment.

Well, yes and no. We do not allow visitors to operate our telescope for safety reasons. However, nearly all of our telescope operators are volunteers who have been trained in its use by our staff!  For information on volunteering, please visit our Volunteer page by clicking here.

Our staff is more than willing to help amateur stargazers!  If you need help with a telescope you already own, please contact one of our staff astronomers at 757-595-1900 ext. 256 to set up an appointment. If you’re interested in buying a telescope, check out our Buying a Telescope directions at the bottom of the page or call us at 757-595-1900 ext. 256.

As long as the filter is in place and working properly, it is perfectly safe to look through the telescope at the Sun. It is not safe to look at the Sun directly, even at sunrise or sunset, when the Sun appears red.

The filter we generally use is called a Hydrogen Alpha Filter. The filter system rejects all but one specific color of red light coming from the Sun. This is why the Sun appears red in the view. You are seeing less than 1% of the light of the Sun through the telescope.

Not really, at least not during the day. The solar filter would have to be removed before anything else would be visible. However, it is possible to see the Moon, Venus or Jupiter during the day if they are in your sky and you know where to look. At night of course, we can see the planets, multiple stars, nebulae, star clusters and other galaxies.

Yes, we have evening observing during special evening programs. Please check our Calendar page to see when the next special evening event is scheduled by clicking here.

The observatory can only be opened during clear weather (even light cloudiness can completely block our view, day or night), and there must be sufficient staff available to operate it. For more information on how you can train to be an observatory volunteer at the museum, please visit our Volunteer page by clicking here .

For safety reasons, we do not allow anyone to operate the telescope except our staff. Groups who visit during the day are welcome to visit the observatory as part of their exhibit tour. For evening observations, special arrangements can be made for groups to rent the observatory and deck for evening star parties. Click here to find out about facility rentals.

There are two ways you can arrange for your group to have a private observing session. One is to rent the observation deck for an evening party – please visit the Plan An Event page for more information, by clicking here.

Alternatively, you can schedule an Astro Camp-In for your group. Astro Camp-Ins involve your group sleeping overnight in the museum and can include a special observing session. Scouting groups can earn a badge during their Astro Camp-In. Click here for more information.

Kelly Herbst, Curator of Astronomy

email

757-595-1900 ext. 256