RIT Observatory

On the edge of the Rochester Institute of Technology campus in New York, RIT Observatory gives students and the local community a hands-on window onto the night sky.

About RIT Observatory

RIT Observatory is operated by the Rochester Institute of Technology, sitting in the south-eastern corner of its campus. It supports undergraduate teaching and research in astrophysical sciences and technology, run jointly by RIT's School of Physics and Astronomy and its Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's main instruments are a 14-inch Celestron telescope under a roll-off roof and a 12-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain housed in a 5-metre dome, backed up by portable Dobsonian and Newtonian reflectors. An all-sky camera monitors for meteors, alongside specialised video timing equipment, and an adjoining residential building accommodates visitors and students.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located at 645 John Street, on RIT's campus in Henrietta, a suburb of Rochester, New York.

Visiting RIT Observatory

RIT Observatory hosts regular community viewing events – often featuring Saturn, the Moon and star clusters – plus periodic open house events. Check RIT's website for the current schedule.

See your named star from here

Between its Celestron and Meade telescopes, RIT Observatory has the instruments to track down a named star at its precise coordinates. Look up the right ascension and declination for your star in the star catalogue before the next open house.