The observatory program occurs on Thursday night starting the second Thursday of the semester and continuing until the last week of classes during fall semester. During spring semester the observatory programs will start after Martin Luther King day and continue until the last week of classes. There will be no program during Thanksgiving break, Spring break, during final exams and summer months. See the Events listing for specific days and times during the current semester, as well as some of the objects in the sky that you may see - weather permitting of course.

When daylight savings time is in effect, the program will start at 9 PM, during standard times the program will start at 8 PM. You will want to be sure that you get to Lantz Auditorium (Room 137, the BIG lecture hall at the east end of McCollum Science Hall) before the starting time so that the observatory guide can show you the way up to the roof. Don't wait inside of Lantz Auditorium, but outside of it, in the lobby area near the polar bear. If you don't get there until after the start of the program, you can not go on the roof on your own, and you'll have to come back another Thursday night - this is for your own safety.

You will also want to dress warmly since you will be on the roof, and the wind is usually stronger up there and the observatory is not heated. And even if the daytime temperature was pretty warm, once the sun goes down, so does the temperature. Mosquitos can also be a problem, particularly during the warmer months.

Small children may have a hard time looking through a telescope, since they don't have precise motor skills, so you may want to make sure that a very bright object like the Moon or a bright planet is visible, so that they will be able to see something clearly. Since the observatory can be rather crowded, and the program is presented usually under dark conditions, it is not recommended that children under the age of 6-7 attend the observatory open houses for their own safety. It is against University policy for pets to be inside of University buildings, so please leave your pets at home.

The observatory program will go ahead, regardless of the weather conditions. You will at least have the chance to learn about the observatory and the workings of the telescope on cloudy nights.

Depending upon the number of participants and the weather conditions, the observatory show can last from half an hour to an hour or longer.

If you have any questions about visiting the observatory or if you would like to arrange a special visit for a group, please contact Dr. Siobahn Morgan, telephone: (319)-273-2389 (though e-mail is preferred).