HomePublic Telescope Nights

Public Telescope Nights

PUBLIC TELESCOPE NIGHTS

Join us for stargazing at our public telescope nights. On a typical evening we will turn our large 12" diameter telescope toward the moon, planets, stars, space station, and other objects in the night sky.

This event is free and open to the public on scheduled Friday or Saturday evenings, weather permitting. Children are welcome, however they must be supervised by parents at all times. Optional: BYO binoculars, warm jacket, hand sanitizer, bug repellent.

DATES & TIMES

Weather permitting, we will try to open on select Friday or Saturday evenings in the spring, summer, and fall. Start and end times may vary according to sunset times and astronomical events, generally 8-9 pm. Families with young children should check the weekly calendar for occasional variations for astronomical events or special children’s programs.
See the Events Calendar for specific dates and times.

ACTIVITIES

Depending on conditions and season, we will point our larger telescopes toward a variety of planets, the Moon, and stars. Visitors also can borrow a smaller “Starblast” telescope to set on a table and hunt sky objects on your own. Depending on staff availability, we may offer inside astronomy activities as well, such as planetarium shows, touching a rock from outer space (70 lb meteorite!), weighing yourself on the moon and planets, viewing the 3D astronomy displays, selfies with the R2D2 robot, operating the Mars robotic arm to pick up Mars rocks, and more.

WEATHER

If the weather is rainy or overcast, we will not have telescopes outside, although you are welcome to stop by to see other STEM opportunities at NEST. In case of questionable weather, call 508-720-4179 about one hour before the event for a final decision.

Will the skies clear tonight? Click on Clear Sky Chart to find out:

moon phase

New England Sci-Tech is pleased to be an official site in NASA’s Night Sky Network. Visit Night Sky Network for other astronomy events in your area and around the US.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Q: Will we see anything if the sky is cloudy?
A: The telescope will often be able to “see through” thin, wispy clouds. If the weather looks doubtful, please call 508-720-4179 an hour before the event to confirm whether it is on or postponed.

Q: What else can we do during our visit?
A: We often open the NE Sci-Tech space for visitors to tour, visit the space science lab, and try out the planetary scales, a Mars robot arm, touch a large meteorite, and more. We may offer Planetarium Shows if staff is available.

Q: How young a child may we bring?
A: Normally most of our programs are for 4th grade up. Younger children may attend the telescope night as long as they are carefully supervised by parents. We do not recommend this activity for children younger than age 6.

Q: Doesn’t Light Pollution affect your viewing?
A: Yes, but we can still see a lot. The moon and major planets can be seen, IF they are up in the sky in the evening. However, light pollution has increased in the past year from many local businesses adding LED outdoor lighting. Very bad for the skies! Watch this video, and check out this Light Pollution Map of MetroWest Boston..

Q: We want to bring a group of [scouts, friends, classmates, etc.].
A: Please call a few days ahead to see if we can arrange to take your small group. A short telescope visit is usually ok, unless the group is too big. However, a full astronomy program for Scouts and School Groups is available for a reasonable fee. We need to schedule that at a different time from the public.