SPRING 2008 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.
A new 32-inch Ritchey Chretien telescope is due to be delivered in September 2008.
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. The 12 inch
computer-controlled Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
provides good views of
the sky, even in the center of the light polluted skies of GMU Fairfax Campus.
There is also an 8" Dobsonian and 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 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 Thursday evenings.
Here's a link for checking on some sky observing highlights. And, to
learn more about the new observatory coming to GMU visit the observatory website.
Observing Session Schedule:
- Monday 4 February: Start Time ~8:30 PM So sorry
CANCELLED due to cloudy skies.
- Monday 18 February: Start Time ~8:30 PM.
- Monday 3 March: Start Time ~8:30 PM.
- Monday 24 March: Start Time ~8:30 PM So sorry CANCELLED due to cloudy skies.
- Monday 7 April: Start Time ~8:30 PM So sorry CANCELLED due to cloudy skies.
- Monday 21 April: Start Time ~8:30 PM So sorry CANCELLED due to cloudy skies.
- All interested persons are also welcome to join Dr. Joe Weingartner (just prior to most observing sessions) in his presentations to the GMU Physics and Astronomy Club. See here for more details.
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)