Observatory

The new observatory will provide powerful research tools for students in the field of astronomy and the opportunity for teachers, students and our community to discover the wonders of the universe.

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The BSU Observatory

The observatory has had 830 visitors since September 14th, 2011.

Thank you to all of our staff and supporters who have helped make this program successful, and a very special thank-you to our visitors! We hope to see you during the Spring 2012 semester as Mars and Saturn become visible.

A breakdown of our events with approximate headcounts is available here.

Our Spring 2012 viewing program begins on Wednesday, January 25th.

Public viewing nights will take place each clear Wednesday during Spring 2012. Please check our calendar, Facebook page, or call the observatory hotline (508-531-DARK) to check whether the weather will allow us to open.

January 25 - February 8: 6:00 pm
February 9 - March 10: 7:00 pm
March 11 - April 4: 8:00 pm
April 5 - April 30: 8:30 pm

Private viewing events may be scheduled for Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays by emailing jkern@bridgew.edu or calling the observatory office at 508-531-2093. Private events must be scheduled two or more weeks in advance.
The new BSU Observatory is located at 24 Park Avenue, Bridgewater, MA 02325 (on the roof of the science building).
The observatory will be closed during the week of Spring Break (March 4-10).

During viewing sessions, astronomy experts and enthusiasts are available to show you the wonders of the night skies and answer questions about astronomy. These sessions are free and made possible by the support of BSU's Physics department and offices of Academic Affairs, External Affairs, and Student Affairs.

Special Events for the Opposition of Mars

On March 3, 2012, the planet Mars will be in opposition. When this occurs, the Earth and Mars are unusually close to each other, so our view of Mars improves. The BSU Observatory is hosting four special events to view Mars in the week leading up to the opposition:

Monday, February 27th at 6:30 pm
Wednesday, February 29th at 6:30 pm
Friday, March 2 at 6:30 pm. Please also join us before the viewing on this date for indoor, family-friendly astronomy activities and snacks.
Saturday, March 3 at 6:30 pm. (If Friday does not run due to clouds, the activities will be moved to this date).

Workshops for Teachers and K-12 Students

Beginning in Spring 2012, the observatory staff is offering astronomy workshops for teachers and K-12 students. These workshops offer daytime learning and exploration activities in astronomy, and may be extended to include a nighttime viewing session as preferred. For more information, please contact our workshop coordinator, Alexandrea Matthews, at a1matthews@student.bridgew.edu.

Additional Information

To ask questions about scheduled viewing nights, please contact Jamie Kern at jkern@bridgew.edu or call the observatory office at 508-531-2093. Weather sometimes forces scheduled events to be canceled. Check an hour before each viewing session on Facebook, Twitter, or by calling the observatory hotline at 508-531-DARK to confirm whether the event will take place. We look forward to seeing you!

To attend an observatory event, park on campus in either the chapel lot or the commuter lot near the Bridgewater T station. The science center will be visible as the building with the dome on top. Enter the science center through the entrance nearest to the chapel parking lot. You can find the observatory itself by following the long hallway to the end, where you will see a large staircase. If you wish to take the elevator (recommended for small children), round the corner to the right of the stairs and take the right-hand elevator up to the 5th floor. You are now in the observatory! If you wish to take the stairs, the main staircase only goes as far as the 4th floor. At that point, follow the right-hand hallway a short distance to a red door that says "to room 500." Take this staircase up to the 5th floor. The observatory is then straight ahead.

For help finding the new Science Building and parking, see the campus map. The new Science Building is behind number 16 on this map. The most convenient parking areas are labeled H and I.

Note that the main telescope has not yet been installed - we are still under construction. View our equipment page for a list of telescopes that will be available to you.

Please visit our new astrophotography page, which includes images taken at the observatory since 2008. We also have a page dedicated to astrophotography with cell phones!

The observatory is currently undergoing a series of improvements.

On the morning of Friday, May 27th, the dome at the new Bridgewater State University Observatory received its cap to the applause of onlookers. The over twenty-foot dome now rests on the roof of BSU's new science building, allowing a panoramic view of the night sky. This new facility will house a Celestron C-14 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope: an upgrade from the previous 12-inch model. Additional telescopes will be placed on piers outside the dome.

The new observatory will be used for: