Welcome!
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The Cal Poly Observatory schedule for Fall quarter will be posted by September 21st.
Our open/closed status will be officially posted 30 minutes before each session.
Students: please make sure you are on time and stay for the entire hour so you are able to see a minimum of four different objects for your class assignment.
When visiting the observatory, please use the buddy system (someone who also signed up for that night) to get safely to and from the observatory.
We reserve the right to limit capacity to 20 attendees each night in order to ensure we stay within time. Please sign up in advance to reserve your spot at an observing night.
You'll need a charged cell phone, warm clothes for cold evenings, and excitement to learn more about astronomy!
Additionally, please bring a pencil and your printed worksheet if you are visiting for a class assignment.
Note: we will request you not use flashlights during sessions as it ruins your night vision, however, they are extremely useful in finding the observatory!
We are located in 52B, in the "U" shape of building 52 (Science).
From Baker Lawn:
Walk on the sidewalk between Building 25 and Building 52 until you reach the inconspicuous parking lot to your right, just before the University Union.
There are usually campus cars, some garbage bins, and sometimes a boat, parked here.
From the parking lot, you can see a side entrance to Building 52 to the left and a basketball hoop straight ahead. Go to the hoop and you should see the sign for the observatory and the stairs leading in. Welcome!
From the A1 parking lot:
Take the stairs/ramp from the parking lot down to S. Polyview Drive behind Building 25.
Walk until the stairs to Perimeter Drive are to your left and you see a steep decline into a small parking lot to your right.
There are usually campus cars, some garbage bins, and sometimes a boat, parked here.
From the parking lot, you can see a side entrance to Building 52 to the left and a basketball hoop straight ahead. Go to the hoop and you should see the sign for the observatory and the stairs leading in. Welcome!
From the University Union:
Walk uphill along S. Polyview Drive until you see a steep decline into a small parking lot to your left.
There are usually campus cars, some garbage bins, and sometimes a boat, parked here.
Walk into the parking lot, towards the basketball hoop, and you'll find the sign to the observatory and the stairs leading in. Welcome!