FALL 2009 Astronomy Observing Sessions
Check back often to see changes in scheduling due to weather or other reasons.
The George Mason University Observatory at the Fairfax Campus building
Research 1 (see campus map
here)
officially opened 24 January 2007.
No one is allowed on the roof without
authority of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
There will be a number of informal night sky observing sessions
scheduled this semester.
Attendance at these sessions is open to all
students, faculty, staff and the interested public. There is 16" diameter Dobsonian telescope in the observatory atop the pier. There is a 12 inch
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope used on the patio that
provides good views of
the sky.
There is also a 6" refractor originally built by GMU students in 1975.
Please note that the observing session will be canceled
if the sky is more than half overcast one hour before the session is
scheduled to begin, or if it is too windy (>35mph) to open the observatory dome. If in doubt,
check the weather forecast for Fairfax, Virginia, and check the Clear Sky Chart for the area and check back on this webpage before scheduled observing sessions.
The location of the observing sessions is the observatory at Research 1.
Access to the observatory is limited. Guests will be met in Research 1 lobby by the main elevators. If you are late, you can stay by the elvators and someone will meet you, after you call the observatory at 703-993-9558 and have been acknowledged by observatory personnel.
The observing sessions
will begin near the times indicated below
and will last approximately 1.5 hours weather permitting.
The sessions are currently scheduled for specific Tuesday evenings.
And, to
learn more about the new observatory telescope coming to GMU visit the observatory website.
Observing Session Schedule:
Remember: Check here about 1 hour before coming to Research I in the event of clouds/rain/other reaasons for cancellation.
- Tuesday 15 September 2009: CANCELLED - Sorry, mostly cloudy forecast goes through the evening, with rain developing later.
- Tuesday 29 September 2009: A successful observing session with over 40 people in attendance. The Moon and Jupiter (with Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) were the top sightings.
- Tuesday 6 October 2009: CANCELLED - Completely overcast.
- Tuesday 20 October 2009: Successful observing session (>65 people) in spite of intermittent clouds. Observed mostly Jupiter and its Galilean moons. Polaris was observed while Jupiter was cloud obscured.
- Tuesday 3 November 2009: Start Time ~6:00 PM.
- Tuesday 17 November 2009: Start Time ~5:30 PM.
- Tuesday 1 December 2009: Start Time ~5:30 PM.
Enjoy your winter break.
PLEASE NOTE: If these dates are not convenient, or if you live in Maryland, or if you'd just like more observing opportunities, you may want to consider visiting the University of Maryland College Park Observatory. The director of the observatory is Elizabeth Warner, and she runs many great programs at the UMCP observatory.
ALSO NOTE: If you have the time, and the interest in more details about research in astrophysics, come join in our Astrophysics Journal Club.
Please attend for your own enjoyment! All are invited, so bring a friend.
Dr. Harold Geller
Observatory Director
Department of Physics and Astronomy
George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
703-993-1276
703-993-1269(fax)