Natelli Observatory

The Natelli Observatory is part of the Earth and Space Science Lab (ESSL) at 210 Madison Street in Frederick, Maryland, a facility built to bring astronomy to the local community and school system.

About Natelli Observatory

ESSL opened in 2009 within the Frederick city schools system, and it holds the distinction of installing the first state-of-the-art digital planetarium system in a U.S. public school. The Natelli Observatory itself is equipped with a 14-inch Celestron HD Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

Telescopes & research

The observatory and its planetarium are used primarily for education, running programs that let students and the public observe the Sun, study asteroids, and explore general astronomy topics.

Location & getting there

Natelli Observatory sits in Frederick, Maryland, within the Earth and Space Science Lab building at 210 Madison Street, easily reached from the wider Frederick city area.

Visiting Natelli Observatory

The observatory regularly hosts public stargazing events alongside its school programs. Check the Earth and Space Science Lab's website for the current schedule before visiting.

See your named star from here

With its 14-inch telescope and active public program, Natelli Observatory is well placed to help visitors find a named star in the night sky. Staff can point the telescope to the right ascension and declination of any star named through Star Register. Name a star or browse the star catalogue.