Welcome to UR's Mees Observatory Tours Site!
April 1, 2012: It's time to launch the 2012 season of Mees Observatory public tours. We are optimistic that the spectacular dark skies at Mees will open up for us this year much more consistently than they did in 2011, and that at least 2/3 of our tours will include observing of the treasures out there. (That's our historical average for clear tour nights). Our experienced and enthusiastic crew of tour guides is looking forward to hosting our guests and sharing our love and knowledge of astronomy with you. An initial schedule of tour dates is now available, and additional dates may be added by 4/20, depending on our final 2012 capacity. Please note that we only accommodate a limited number of large groups. Reservations for more than 8 guests require special permission from Tours Director Carol Latta. New in 2012 are several "Kids' Tours" with a special program geared to young astronomers (12 and under). Of course, parents or grandparents are invited to join them.
General Information about tours:
University of Rochester Department of Physics and Astronomy is pleased to offer free tours for the public at Mees Observatory in the Bristol Hills on selected Friday and Saturday evenings during the summer months. All tours begin at 8PM at Gannett House on the observatory grounds. After getting acquainted, we'll present a talk on astronomy in general and on what we may be observing later in the evening. If weather and skies permit, we'll proceed to the observatory dome and operate the 24" reflecting telescope to observe the Moon, Saturn, double stars, nebulae, star clusters, and maybe even a galaxy or two. Tours typically end around 11PM (if observing is possible) or whenever our guests have had their fill of photons.
Tour guides are physics/astronomy students and members of Rochester's astronomy club, the Astronomy Section of the Rochester Academy of Science.
Use the menu link above to see the Tour Calendar, select the correct month and day, click on the checkmark or clock icon, and make a reservation for your tour. Be sure to indicate the number of people in your reservation. GROUPS LARGER THAN 8 REQUIRE SPECIAL PERMISSION - see above. No "User ID" is required.
For driving directions using Mapquest or a similar site, use this address: CE Kenneth Mees Observatory, 6604 S. Gannett Rd, Naples, NY 14512.
Day tours may be possible for interested groups. (Contact the Tours Director).
Instructions about the tour can be found here.
There are many other opportunities to do astronomical observing in the Rochester area. Rochester's astronomy club, The Astronomy Section of the Rochester Academy of Science (ASRAS), offers free public star parties in all but the coldest months; these are usually held at Mendon and Northampton Parks. ASRAS members also operate the telescope at Strasenburgh Planetarium's observatory on nearly all clear Saturday evenings, year round. Join us for any of these free events. To learn more about these and other opportunities, go to www.rochesterastronomy.org.
For more information, contact the Mees Observatory Tours Director, Carol Latta
© 2008 ASRAS www.rochesterastronomy.org
Mees Clear Sky Clock 