Public Tours
GMU observatory hosts a free public tour every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday (check the event calendar for details). Donations are always welcome.
❌ No registration is needed. (But please read our guidelines!)
🧑🤝🧑 However, if your group size is larger than 10 people, please feel free to contact us and let us know ahead of time.
Times of Operation
We are current closed. We will be back in September.
Note that these public tours are not intended for ASTR112/114/115 students. If you are taking these courses and looking for lab tours, please visit Education page. (ASTR 103 students can attend public tours).
Open-dome tour VS Closed-dome tour
😀An open-dome tour is proceeded when the weather is
✅not too humid (<85% relative humidity),
✅not too windy (<20 mph windspeed),
✅not smoky (no wildfire near the area),
✅and less than 5% chance of rain.
You can see the night sky using our telescope. We will also open the dome if there are some clouds but those conditions are met.
😐Otherwise, we proceed with a closed-dome tour where you can take a look at our telescope, but cannot use it to watch the night sky.
In both cases, you may also be able to:
take a look at our control and learn more about astrophotography and astronomy research conducted at our observatory.
see our 32-inch telescope inside the dome
⛈️ Should there be a thunderstorm (light rain is ok - we close the dome) or inclement weather, we will cancel the tour and the status on the calendar will become "CANCELED".
Note: If George Mason University closes or cancels classes for any reason, all observatory events for that time are automatically canceled.
If these dates are not convenient, or if you would like more observing opportunities, please consider visiting the Observatory Park at Turner Farm.
Visit Us
You can find information on bus stops, directions, and parking here on the Contact Us page.
⚠️Guidelines for Visitors - PLEASE READ⚠️
The observatory is on the rooftop of the Research Hall and is only accessible to observatory staff.
A tour guide will be stationed at the reception desk just to the right of the elevators.
Please meet at the reception desk at the start of the public tour.
We cannot guarantee the admission to the tour after the start time.
🌲The observatory is mostly outdoors, so please check the weather and wear appropriate clothing.
👁️The observatory is very dark during viewing. We highly recommend you wear closed-toed shoes during your visit.
♿The observatory is not 100% accessible. If you have any accessibility needs, please contact us at GMUObservatory@gmail.com before your visit so that we can tell you more details.
🌃During any viewing through the telescope, we try to keep the dome as dark as possible in order to facilitate a good viewing experience. For you and the people around you, we ask that no white lights be brought into the dome, including but not limited to: flash cameras, phone screens, flashlights, and light-up shoes.
📸Photography is welcome in and around our facilities. However, we ask that you not use flash photography in any designated dark areas, like inside the dome when the lights are turned off. Additionally, we request that you ask permission of any observatory staff before taking their picture.
~ Observatory Rules ~
🚭 No Smoking or Vaping on the Observatory roof and facilities.
⚔️ Weapons, 💊Drugs, 🍷Alcohol, and 🚳Motorized vehicles are all prohibited up at the observatory.
📵 No bright lights or bright cell phone use during viewings.
📸 No flash photography until the end of the tour.
👨👩👧👦 Children under the age of 18 must have guardian supervision at all times.
🫂 Be respectful to our staffs and other visitors.
✅ By visiting us, you agree to follow these rules.
We happy to give you a tour to observatory. However, any donation is appreciated! Please visit the Donate page for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect in a public tour? What if the weather is not clear?
You will be able take a look at our 32-inch aperture telescope, control room, and some astrophographs. Please refer to the section for our open/closed-dome tour protocol above.
Can I bring my scout troop/students to the public tour?
Yes, we are happy to give a tour to scouts and students! If the number of participants (scouts/students + adults) is more than 10, please make sure to contact us and let us know ahead so we can prepare.
Can I know the number of visitors of each event ahead of time? What if the observatory is too crowded?
Unfortunately, we do not have a good tracking system for the number of visitors of each event. Tours are given in a first-come-first-served basis. Our roof capacity is about 25 people. We will split visitors to groups and let you take turn going to the roof.
I see other events besides public tours on the calendar. Can I attend those events?
Yes, everything shown on the calendar is for public. Otherwise specified, those events are free to attend!
What are the Evenings Under the Stars? How are they different from public tours?
Evenings Under the Stars are mainly astronomy talks for public audience. They are usually followed by a public tour to the observatory (weather permitting). However, the objective of the events is not for public tours. For more information, please visit the Evenings Under the Stars page.
I am a Mason student enrolling in ASTR 103. Can I attend a public tour to complete my assignment?
Yes, you may attend the tour and get the signature from our tour guide at the end of the tour.
I am a Mason student enrolling in ASTR 112/114/115. Can I attend the public tour to complete my assignment?
No, you must attend a lab tour. Please visit the Education page and log in the page using the password your instructor provide.
Still have questions?
Please feel free to contact us!