Palo Alto observatory

Palo Alto observatory, also known as the Stanford Student Observatory, sits in the hills above Stanford's golf course, a facility built by students for students.

About Palo Alto Observatory

Located at 44 Vista Ln, Palo Alto, the observatory was built in the early 1970s by a group of physics and engineering freshmen under the guidance of Professor Walter Meyerhof. It continues to serve education and research for Stanford students and faculty today.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in the hills above the Stanford golf course in Palo Alto, California, part of the North America region on Star Register's map.

Visiting Palo Alto Observatory

The observatory is not open to the general public, but free stargazing events are held for Stanford affiliates, including students, postdocs, staff, and faculty.

See your named star from here

A telescope built by students is just as capable of finding a star's exact position as any professional facility, once it has the coordinates in hand, which is exactly what comes with every star named through Star Register. Name a star, or browse the catalogue of stars already named.