Farpoint Observatory
Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics
Near Eskridge, Kansas, about 30 miles southwest of Topeka, Farpoint Observatory stands at 405 metres above sea level on the grounds of Mission Valley High School.
About Farpoint Observatory
Farpoint Observatory is owned and operated by the Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomers' League (NEKAAL), a club active since 1978. Members funded, designed and built the observatory themselves, and it now carries the official IAU observatory code 734.
History
Construction was completed in 1996, giving NEKAAL members a permanent, dark-sky home for their observing programme away from Topeka's lights.
Telescopes & research
The observatory hosts the Farpoint Asteroid Search Team (FAST), which has discovered more than 330 non-near-Earth asteroids and helped refine the orbits of numerous near-Earth objects.
Location & getting there
The site sits at 405 metres elevation near Auburn, Kansas, in the North America region of the United States, roughly 30 miles southwest of Topeka.
Visiting Farpoint Observatory
NEKAAL hosts public astronomy nights at Farpoint Observatory from March through November; check the club's website for the current schedule before you go.
See your named star from here
A club built around asteroid discovery knows precise coordinates better than most - the same coordinates you'd get for a star named through Star Register. Find yours in the star catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check the official website and Google Maps for current times before you travel.