Visit the Joel N. Bloom Observatory for a bit of stargazing on the rooftop! Our instruments, including the 10-inch Zeiss refractor and four Celestron CPC 800 GPS Computerized Telescopes, and 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain models, provide views of most planets and bright stars, several star clusters and nebulae, and a few galaxies. On a clear day, you may be able to see sun flares and spots, and at times, the moon!
Open daily (weather permitting), the Joel N. Bloom Observatory is operated and maintained by The Franklin Institute's Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts and staffed by a staff of knowledgeable volunteers. It is one of a handful of observatories in the country to provide optically-safe, real-time, direct observation of solar activity such as flares and prominences.
Things to Do and See at the Observatory
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Stargaze with 10-inch Zeiss Refractor TelescopePlanets, stars, star clusters, nebulae, and a even few galaxies await!
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Visit the nearest star—Our SunSee what real sunspots and flares look like without the need for shades!
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Travel through our Solar SystemJupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Venus are often stops on this interplanetary tour!
Interactive Map
Floor
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