Public Viewing
PUBLIC VIEWING SESSIONS
The Cline Observatory is open to the public for viewing every clear Friday night throughout the year.
Sessions are held if weather permits. In addition to viewing through the 24-inch telescope under the dome, we will have a variety of telescopes set up on our outside observing pad.
The viewings begin 30 to 45 minutes after sunset during March-October (determine sunset time for a particular date and see month-specific information below). Sessions usually last about two hours, but may run longer or shorter depending on interest and sky conditions. Our sessions are unstructured – there's no program – just telescopic viewing.
Note that the observatory is open to the night air, and so will be cold in the winter and warm in the summer. Be sure to dress for the conditions.
For updates regarding how weather or other issues will affect this week’s session, check our Twitter Updates Page @gtccastro.
For other questions about the observatory and its programs, contact Tom English at trenglish@gtcc.edu or (336) 334-4822, ext. 50023.
There is no charge for public night viewing and the observatory is open to anyone wishing to attend. No reservations are necessary, and there are no limits on the number of attendees. (We do ask that you let us know well ahead of time if you plan to bring a large group.)
Public Viewing Schedule
July sessions start at 9:15 p.m. on Friday evenings, and last about two hours. Sessions are held
if weather permits. We will have a variety of telescopes set up on our outside observing pad, and
the observatory dome will also be open.
| Date | Observing Program |
|---|---|
| 7 July | Feature: Summer galaxies Other targets include: Assorted deep sky objects, Venus and Mars Moon: Not visible during the session |
| 14 July | Feature: Summer globular clusters Other targets include: Assorted deep sky objects, Venus and Mars Moon: Not visible during the session |
| 21 July | Feature: M57 – the Ring Nebula Other targets include: The moon, assorted deep sky objects Moon: Waxing Crescent Moon sets late in the session |
| 28 July | Feature: The Moon Other targets include: Summer double stars, bright clusters Moon: Waxing Gibbous – visible throughout the session |
Sessions will continue in August.
August sessions start at 9 p.m. on Friday evenings, and last about two hours. Sessions are held if weather permits. We will have a variety of telescopes set up on our outside observing pad, and the observatory dome will also be open.
| Date | Observing Program |
|---|---|
| 4 August | Feature: Globular Cluster M13 Other targets include: Double Stars, Open Clusters, Planetary Nebulae Moon: Waning Gibbous Moon rises at the end of the session. |
| 11 August | Moon: Not visible during the session |
| 18 August | Feature: M8 – the Lagoon Nebula Other targets include: Deep Sky objects along the summer Milky Way Moon: Thin Crescent Moon sets just after session starts. |
| 25 August | Feature: Double Star Albireo Other targets include: open & globular clusters, double stars, Saturn Moon: Waxing Gibbous – visible throughout the session |
Sessions will continue in September.
September sessions start at 8:30 on Friday evenings until the night of our special public lecture. But at the end of the month, we will start at 8 p.m.. Sessions last about two hours, and are held if weather permits. We will have a variety of telescopes set up on our outside observing pad, and the observatory dome will also be open.
| Date | Observing Program |
|---|---|
| 1 September | Feature: Cat’s Eye Nebula Other targets include: Saturn, assorted deep sky objects Moon: Waning Gibbous Moon rises late in the session. |
| 8 September | Feature: M11 – the Wild Duck Cluster Other targets include: Saturn, assorted deep sky objects Moon: Not visible during the session. |
| 15 September | Feature: Saturn Other targets include: assorted clusters, nebulae, and double stars. Moon: Not visible during the session |
| 22 September | Jo Cline Memorial Lecture, 7:30 p.m., Koury Auditorium: Viewing begins after the talk Feature & other targets: TBA Moon: First Quarter Moon visible throughout the session. |
| 29 September | Feature: TBA Other targets include: Saturn, double stars. The bright moon will limit views of faint objects. Moon: Full moon visible throughout the session. |
Sessions will continue in October.
Special Viewing Sessions – Eclipses, Transits, Etc.
Occasionally, Cline Observatory holds viewing sessions for special events such as eclipses, transits, or other remarkable astronomical phenomena. These sessions are presented in the same manner as our Friday public viewings, though if the situation requires, we may shift our portable telescopes to other locations on campus.
As with our Friday public viewings, all Cline Observatory special viewing sessions are free and open to anyone with an interest in astronomy.
Recent special sessions we have scheduled include:
- Partial Solar Eclipse Oct. 14, 2023
- Total Lunar Eclipse May 15, 2022 (cloudy)
- Total Lunar Eclipse Jan. 20, 2019
- Expedition to Newberry, SC for Total Solar Eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017
- Partial Solar Eclipse Oct. 23, 2014
- Venus Transit June 5, 2012
- Lunar Eclipse Dec. 10, 2010 (cloudy)
- Total Lunar Eclipse Feb. 21, 2008
- Total Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2007
- Mercury Transit Nov. 8, 2006 (cloudy)
- Total Lunar Eclipse Oct. 27, 2004
- Venus Transit June 6, 2004 (cloudy)
Transits of Venus & Mercury
Three hundred visitors came to GTCC to observe the 2012 Venus Transit – a phenomenon that will not be seen on Earth again until 2117. For more information about this event and other transits, see our Transits page.
Lunar and Solar Eclipses
Cline Observatory is open for viewing lunar and solar eclipses visible in our area. Details about upcoming eclipses will be posted on our Eclipses page.
Meteor Showers
Cline Observatory DOES NOT hold special sessions for meteor showers because they are best observed without telescopes, and are usually best seen from dark locations between midnight and dawn.
The American Meteor Society provides an annual meteor shower calendar, guides to visual observation of meteors, and weekly updates on meteor activity. The International Meteor Organization provides annual shower calendars, visual meteor observing resources, and regular outlooks on meteor activity.