; Rutgers Astronomy: Serin Observatory Public Nights

Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

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We are pleased to announce the 20-inch primary mirror of our optical telescope has been successfully realuminized. Our Public Open Nights will now resume, weather permitting.

Next Public Open Night

Thursday, 09 July 2009, 09:30 p.m. EDT to 11:30 p.m. EDT

Status (as of 26 June 2009, 12:45 a.m. EDT): Will be held, weather permitting. If you have any questions, please call 732-735-5483 and leave a message. Your call will be returned.

For general information, please call 732-445-2531 or 732-445-2503 (08:30 a.m. to 04:30 p.m.).

Schedule of Objects to be Viewed

July 2009
   2nd Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon (waning gibbous)
   4th Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, Saturn, and Jupiter

August 2009
   2nd Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, and Jupiter (near opposition)
   4th Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, M31, Jupiter, and the Moon (first quarter)

September 2009
   2nd Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, M31, and Jupiter
   4th Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, M31, Jupiter, and the Moon (first quarter)

October 2009
   2nd Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, M31, NGC 457, and Jupiter
   4th Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, M31, NGC 457, Jupiter, and the Moon (waxing crescent)

November 2009
   2nd Thursday: Albireo, M57, M31, NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, and Jupiter
   4th Thursday: Thanksgiving Day (we will not be open)

December 2009
   2nd Thursday: M31, NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, and Jupiter
   4th Thursday: Christmas Eve (we will not be open)

January 2010
   2nd Thursday: M31, NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, and Mars
   4th Thursday: M31, NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Mars (near opposition), and the Moon (full)

February 2010
   2nd Thursday: M31, NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, and Mars
   4th Thursday: NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Mars, Saturn, and the Moon (full)

March 2010
   2nd Thursday: NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Mars, and Saturn
   4th Thursday: NGC 457, h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Mars, Saturn (near opposition), and the Moon (waxing gibbous)

April 2010
   2nd Thursday: h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn
   4th Thursday: h & χ Persei, M45, M42, Betelgeuse, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and the Moon (first quarter)

May 2010
   2nd Thursday: Vega, M13, Venus, Mars, and Saturn
   4th Thursday: Vega, M13, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and the Moon (full)

June 2010
   2nd Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, Venus, Mars, and Saturn
   4th Thursday: Vega, M13, Albireo, M57, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and the Moon (full)

Public Observing at the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory

Members of the Rutgers University community and the general public are invited to observe the skies through the 20-inch optical telescope of the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, weather permitting. The observatory is open for two hours starting at 8 p.m. (October through March) or starting about one hour after sunset (April through September, when it is not yet dark at 8 p.m.).

Observing will be canceled for that night if the skies are cloudy at the beginning of the observing session. Please check this web-site for the most up-to-date information.

Naked-eye visibility of satellites from the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory may be found at the Heavens-Above Main Page .

Location

The Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory is located in the dome on the roof of the Serin Physics Laboratories on the corner of Frelinghuysen Road and Allison Road on the Busch Campus of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ. Directions are available, as is a simple gif map . Though be aware that Route 18 construction is changing the access to Busch from that highway -- follow the signs to the Busch campus. Park in lot 53 (between the building and the street) or lot 53A (about one block east on the other side of Frelinghuysen Rd). Enter the doors on the west end of the building (facing Allison Road) and take the stairs (left or right sides of the lobby) or the elevator (left side of the lobby) to the fourth floor.

Scientific Highlights

Color Image of Messier 33 (M33) taken with the CCD Camera on the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory 20-inch Optical Telescope

Please send any comments on this page to Carlton Pryor, pryor@physics.rutgers.edu.
This web-site was last revised June 26, 2009.