Oil Region Astronomical Observatory

The Oil Region Astronomical Observatory is run by the Oil Region Astronomical Society on a 25-acre property between Franklin and Clarion, Pennsylvania, and hosts one of the largest publicly accessible telescopes in the western part of the state.

About Oil Region Astronomical Observatory

The Oil Region Astronomical Society, originally the Venango County Astronomy Club, was founded in March 1991. Its mission is to educate and inspire learners of all ages, and its facilities are located in Venango County, Pennsylvania.

History

The society's original observatory opened to the public in 1993 and operated at its first site until January 2015. Construction of a new home, the Oil Region Astronomy Learning Center, began in 2014 on a 25-acre property between Franklin and Clarion, replacing the earlier facility.

Telescopes & research

The centre's flagship instrument is a 30-inch f/3 Newtonian telescope, among the largest publicly accessible telescopes in western Pennsylvania. It also operates a 14-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain and a 14-inch Meade LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, giving visitors several ways to observe the sky.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in Venango County, Pennsylvania, on a rural 25-acre site between the towns of Franklin and Clarion, chosen for its educational mission and dark countryside skies.

Visiting Oil Region Astronomical Observatory

The Oil Region Astronomical Society welcomes the public to its learning center; check the society's website for current event schedules and hours before visiting.

See your named star from here

With three telescopes including a 30-inch Newtonian, this observatory has serious capability for tracking down a single star by coordinates — exactly what you'd need to spot a star named through Star Register. Name a star or browse the catalogue of named stars.