University of Alabama Observatory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Atop Gallalee Hall on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, a small domed observatory has given students and the public a view of the night sky since the middle of the 20th century.
About University of Alabama Observatory
The observatory is owned and operated by the University of Alabama. Its domed home atop Gallalee Hall was completed in 1949, replacing an earlier Old Observatory that had been in use from 1849 until the 1890s.
History
Initially equipped with a 10-inch refracting telescope, this instrument served as the university's primary telescope from 1950 until 2004, when it was removed and sold to an antique telescope collector to make way for a new instrument. In 2005, a 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien reflector, built by DFM Engineering, was installed in its place.
Telescopes & research
The current 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien reflector remains the observatory's primary instrument, used for both teaching and public viewing sessions.
Location & getting there
The observatory sits atop Gallalee Hall on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, easy to reach as part of a university visit.
Visiting University of Alabama Observatory
The observatory and its instruments are opened for free public viewing one night per month, weather permitting. The schedule is published on the observatory's official website and updated each semester, so check there before visiting.
See your named star from here
A 16-inch reflector that already opens its dome to the public once a month is a natural place to look for a star of your own. Once you know its right ascension and declination, any telescope can find it. Explore our star-naming packages or the star catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check the official website and Google Maps for current times before you travel.
