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Public Observing

The Department of Physics and Astronomy graduate students offer monthly public observing nights at the on-campus observatory from September to May.

For more information, please check the public observing website at https://sites.dartmouth.edu/publicobserving/.

 

  • Note that public observing takes place behind Shattuck observatory. Photo by William J. Kaufman '20.
Overview

Public observing occurs in the North Telescope next to Shattuck Observatory

north_telescope.jpg

Public observing occurs in the North Telescope, a small white shed behind the Shattuck Observatory (pictured to the right). Red lights will guide the way to the public observing. Observing is only possible under good weather conditions, meaning mostly clear skies with little chance of rain or snow. If the weather is questionable, call (603) 646-9100 and select option 2 to find out the current status of an observing session. Selecting option 1 will give dates and times for the current term.

Shattuck Observatory is the oldest scientific building on campus. Many astronomy classes use Dartmouth's observing resources. For the astronomical research carried out by the Department of Physics & Astronomy, Dartmouth owns a share of the largest telescope in the Southern Hemisphere, the 11-meter Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), as well as the MDM Observatory, consisting of 1.3 and 2.4 meter telescopes, on Kitt Peak in Arizona.

In addition to SALT and MDM, Dartmouth astronomers, faculty, and students make use of many more of the world's leading space- and ground-based observational facilities, including the Hubble, Spitzer, and Herschelspace observatories, Chandra, XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and Suzaku X-ray satellites, the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, W.M. Keck Observatory, MMT Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, as well as being involved in the planning of upcoming and proposed missions.

Directions and Parking

Traveling along East Wheelock Street toward the Dartmouth Green, take the first right after Alumni Gym (on left) onto Observatory Road.

Traveling along West Wheelock Street toward the Dartmouth Green, take the second left after the Hanover Inn onto Observatory Road.

From either direction: Once on Observatory Road, go up the hill and through one intersection. The Observatory is on the right as you reach the top of the hill.

Click here for a map. Public observing uses the North Telescope. 

You may park anywhere in the nearby parking lots during observing hours. Please do not park in the small dirt lot just behind the Observatory.