Mount Stony Brook Observatory

Mount Stony Brook Observatory occupies the roof of the Earth and Space Sciences Building at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, where it has served students and the public since the late 1960s.

About Mount Stony Brook Observatory

The observatory is run by Stony Brook University's astronomy department, primarily to teach undergraduate and graduate astronomy labs, and it also supports the campus Astronomy club. Its dome houses a Meade 14-inch Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope paired with SBIG-STL1001e imaging equipment, which has been used to monitor variable stars.

History

The observatory was built in 1968. Its current telescope was installed in 1981, and the department has hosted public "Astronomy Open Nights" there since 1976.

Telescopes & research

Beyond teaching, the Meade 14-inch telescope and its SBIG imaging camera have been put to work monitoring variable stars, giving students hands-on experience with real observational data alongside their coursework.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits on the roof of the Earth and Space Sciences Building on the Stony Brook University campus in Stony Brook, New York, on Long Island.

Visiting Mount Stony Brook Observatory

On the first Friday of every month during the school year, the department hosts an Astronomy Open Night: a public lecture followed by observing through the telescope if the weather cooperates. It's a good idea to check the university's astronomy department for the current schedule before visiting.

See your named star from here

An Open Night at Mount Stony Brook is a great excuse to bring along the coordinates of a star named through Star Register and ask where it sits in the sky. Name a star or browse the star catalogue to find one.