Observing Schedule

The physics discipline and Physics Student Club conduct monthly public telescope viewings on the second Monday of the month, and additionally for astronomical events of interest. Please note that the weather conditions can influence observing. Check back here about two hours before your visit for updated information. Start times vary with sunset times.

If you are interested in visiting with a group, please contact the physics faculty at the University of Minnesota Morris, for example Sylke Boyd ( sboyd@morris.umn.edu).

Wednesday, January 21 2026, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Open Observatory

Weather alternative: Thursday, January 22, same time

Unfortunately, Wednesday will be snowy/cloudy, and Thursday will be way too cold with temperatures falling below -20 F overnight. So, we will have to skip this opportunity.

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Notable on this date: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Orion nebula, a sliver of the moon.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Open Observatory

Weather alternative: Thursday, February 12, same time

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Notable on this date: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Orion nebula, Andromeda Galaxy

Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Open Observatory for solar observation

Weather alternative: April 1, 3:30 pm

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If the sun is out, and you can see a shadow on the ground, then we will hold this open house.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Open Observatory

Weather alternative: Thursday, March 5, same time

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Notable on this date: Jupiter, Uranus, Orion nebula, Andromeda Galaxy, Pleiades

Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. Open Observatory

Weather alternative: Thursday, March 26, same time

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Notable on this date: Jupiter and Moon line up close together

Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. Open Observatory for solar observation

Weather Alternative: Friday, April 3, same time

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 8:30 - 10:30 p.m. Open Observatory on the day of URS

Weather Alternative: Thursday April 26, same time

Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Notable on this date: Venus and Jupiter

Monday, May 4, 2026, 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. Open Observatory

Weather alternative: Tuesday, May 5, same time

This is exam week on campus. Everybody is welcome. Please check weather announcements here before you head out. If you can't see the stars looking upward, we can't see them through the telescope either. But even with a partly cloudy sky, we had good viewings. So, always check here as the time approaches.

Notable on this date: Jupiter, Venus, open star clusters, globular clusters

More Open Observatory nights will be available throughout the summer.

Please check back later for the schedule.