HomePublic Telescope Nights

Public Telescope Nights at New England Sci-Tech

A Stem Education Center and Maker Space at 16 Tech Circle, Natick, MA

Quicklink: https://nescitech.org/telescope

PUBLIC TELESCOPE NIGHTS

For specific dates we are open, and to sign up, follow the scrolling calendar at the bottom of this page.

Join us for stargazing at our public telescope nights. On a typical evening we will turn our large 12" diameter telescope toward the 1st Quarter Moon, plus possibly any planets, stars, space station, or other objects in the night sky.

This event is free and open to the public on scheduled Friday or Saturday evenings, weather permitting. Children age 6 and up are welcome, however they must be supervised by parents at all times. Optional: BYO binoculars, warm jacket, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, flashlight with red lens.

DATES & TIMES

Weather permitting, we will try to open on select Friday or Saturday evenings in the spring, summer, and fall. Start and end times may vary according to sunset times and astronomical events, but generally 8-9 pm. Families with young children should check the weekly calendar for occasional extra days for astronomical events or special children’s programs, particularly during summer months.
See the scrolling calendar at the bottom of this page for specific dates and times.

ACTIVITIES

Depending on conditions and season, we will point our largest telescope toward the Moon, any planets that may be up, and occasional stars. Visitors also can borrow a smaller “Starblast” telescope to set on a table and hunt sky objects on your own. Depending on staff availability, we may offer inside astronomy activities as well, such as planetarium shows, touching a rock from outer space (70 lb meteorite!), viewing the 3D astronomy displays, selfies with the R2D2 robot, operating the Mars robotic arm to pick up Mars rocks, and more.

WEATHER

If the weather is rainy or overcast, we will not open for telescope night, although you are welcome to call to see if we will have other astronomy opportunities that night. In case of questionable weather, call 508-720-4179 about one hour before the event for a final decision.

Will the skies clear tonight? Click on Clear Sky Chart below to find out:

moon phase

New England Sci-Tech is pleased to be an official site in NASA’s Night Sky Network. Visit Night Sky Network for other astronomy events in your area and around the US.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Q: Will we see anything if the sky is cloudy?
A: The telescope will often be able to “see through” thin, wispy clouds. If the weather looks doubtful, please call 508-720-4179 one hour before the event to confirm whether it is on or postponed.

Q: What else can we do during our visit?
A: We often open the NE Sci-Tech space for visitors to tour, visit the space science lab, and try out the planetary scales, a Mars robot arm, touch a large meteorite, and more. We may offer Planetarium Shows if staff is available.

Q: How young a child may we bring?
A: Normally most of our programs are for 4th grade up. Younger children may attend the telescope night as long as they are carefully supervised by parents. We do not recommend this activity for children younger than age 6.

Q: Doesn’t Light Pollution affect your viewing?
A: Yes, but we can still see a lot. The moon and major planets can be seen, IF they are up in the sky in the evening. However, light pollution has increased in the past five years from many local businesses adding LED outdoor lighting. Very bad for the skies! Watch this video, and check out this Light Pollution Map of MetroWest Boston. Get involved with DarkSky International to help us bring back the night skies.

Q: We want to bring a group of [scouts, friends, classmates, etc.].
A: Please call a few days ahead to see if we can arrange to take your small group. A short telescope visit is usually ok, unless the group is too big. However, a full astronomy program for Scouts and School Groups is available for a reasonable fee. We need to schedule that at a different time from the public.