Department of Physics and Astronomy of The University of Montana-Missoula

Blue Mountain Observatory

Star trails at the Blue Mountain Observatory
Photo by David Podrasky

Directions & map

Outreach

Research

Instrumentation

History

Public Observing Nights
Summer 2009

Date and Estimated Observing Start Times
CALL 243-5179 to listen to message before going

June 19 10:35pm
June 26 10:35pm
July 17 10:30pm
July 24 10:30pm
August 14 10:00pm
August 21 9:45pm
September 11 9:10pm
September 18 8:55pm

08/21/2009 4:15pm: We had some maintenance work done at the observatory, and the keys have not yet made it back to my office. I will leave a message by about 6pm on my voicemail 243-5179 updating this news. If I don't have the keys, unfortunately I am going to have to CANCEL tonight's open house. The forecast for this evening is looking mostly ok, but make sure to call my number, 243-5179, and listen to my voicemail message before making any plans to head up the mountain.

Spend a beautiful evening exploring the "Big Sky" at the University of Montana´s Blue Mountain Observatory. Located at an elevation of 6300 feet on a mountain top just west of Missoula, Blue Mountain´s telescope provides breathtaking, dark sky views of planets, nebulae, star clusters, and distant galaxies. Constellation talks familiarize you with what´s up in the current sky, the sky lore of different cultures, and how to find interesting objects with your naked eye or ordinary binoculars.

Public observing nights are FREE and open to everyone. Observing begins about one hour after sunset. Open houses will be cancelled if the sky is cloudy or thunderstorms threaten. Please call 243-5179 for weather and cancellation updates before you go!

Early summer and fall evenings can be quite chilly at the observatory, so please bring a warm coat. You will also need a small flashlight for the walk back to your car. If you have any doubt about how to get to the observatory, download a copy of our map showing the road up Blue Mountain. Be very careful not to miss the sharp left turn off the main road onto a secondary road a short ways after the 10 mile mark. There is no sign at this junction, but it is out in the open and easy to find. Shortly after you make this left turn, you will go through an open metal gate. If you start going downhill, you've missed the turn!