Public Viewing
PUBLIC VIEWING SESSIONS
The Cline Observatory is open to the public for viewing every clear Friday night throughout the year.
We have resumed our Friday night public viewing sessions as of July 2021. For the moment, sessions will be held on the outside observing pad, rather than in the observatory dome. We will have several telescopes set up for viewing a variety of objects. To address ongoing COVID variant concerns, sessions will be set up in a controlled manner, and telescopes will be sanitized between observers. Although this event is outdoors, there will be times that people are in close proximity. Because of this, we highly recommend that participants wear masks during sessions.
The viewings begin a half hour after sunset during March-October (determine sunset time for a particular date). 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
November sessions start Friday evenings at 7 p.m., and last about two hours. Sessions are held if weather permits. We are still observing under our pandemic protocol – telescopes on the observing pad, dome area closed, COVID precautions in place.
| Date | Observing Program |
|---|---|
| 5 November | Moon not visible during session. Planets will be featured (Venus, Saturn, Jupiter) along with assorted Clusters, Nebulae, Double Stars and Galaxies (as conditions permit). |
| 12 November | The moon and planets (Venus, Saturn, Jupiter) will be featured, along with notable objects. |
| 17 November (Wednesday) | Tentative: 7 p.m. Virtual lecture about the interstellar interloper ‘Oumuamua, by Arizona State University astronomer Steve Desch. |
| 19 November | The bright moon and may limit some of the faint objects that can be viewed, but we’ll look at several double stars and bright star clusters, plus Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter. |
| 26 November | We plan to be open on Thanksgiving Friday, showing planets, clusters, double stars, and the Andromeda Galaxy. The moon will not be visible during the session. |
Sessions will continue in December.
December sessions start Friday evenings at 7 p.m., and last about two hours. Sessions are held if weather permits. We are still observing under our pandemic protocol – telescopes on the observing pad, dome area closed, COVID precautions in place.
| Date | Observing Program |
|---|---|
| 3 December | Moon not visible. Planets will be featured along with assorted Clusters, Nebulae, Double Stars and Galaxies. |
| 10 December | The first quarter moon will be featured, along with several planets, notable double stars, nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. |
| 17 December | The bright moon and may limit some of the faint objects that can be viewed, but we’ll look at several double stars and bright star clusters, plus the moon & planets. |
| 24 December | No session tonight. |
| 31 December | No session tonight. |
Sessions will continue in January.
There will be no public viewings in January. A decision about February sessions will be made in late January.
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:
- 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.