Hours of Operation

Students

The NGAO is open to students any clear night Monday through Friday while classes are in session. The observatory is open Monday through Thursday beginning 7:30 pm EST (9:30 pm EDT).  Weather permitting - see Daily Operational Status below.

Observatory-Planetarium Public Education Nights (OPEN Program)

The general public and students are invited to come out on Friday nights after the OPEN Program planetarium show for celestial viewing. The Friday OPEN program telescopic viewing always begins at 9:30 pm.  Weather permitting - see Daily Operational Status below.

Observatory First & Last Quarter Saturdays

The general public and students are also invited to come out on selected Saturday nights for celestial viewing.  Sponsored by the North Georgia Astronomers (a regional amateur astronomy club associated with UNG), the observatory is open on Saturdays which fall closest to the first and last quarter Moon during each month.  (See the current semester schedule below.)  Viewing begins at 7:30 pm EST (9:30 pm EDT) and continues for approximately 2 hours.  Weather permitting - see Daily Operational Status below.

Spring Semester 2013 - The observatory is open on the following Saturdays (see Daily Operational Status below):  [FQ = first quarter, LQ = last quarter]

Feb 2 LQ, Feb 16 FQ, Mar 2 LQ, Mar 16 FQ, Apr 6 LQ, Apr 20 FQ

For More Information

Daily Operational Status

Call 706-864-8642 after 6:00 pm EST (8:00 pm EDT) for daily operational status.   Also see our Observatory Status Page.

School/Group Visits

For information about school or other group visits to the observatory, please e-mail Dr. Jones at jjones@northgeorgia.edu.

How to Find the Observatory:

NGAO is located approximately 4 miles west of Dahlonega off of highway 9, 0.4 mile past the junction with highway 52.  (GPS address to gate:  3000 Dawsonville Hwy, Dahlonega GA 30533)  The George E. Coleman, Sr. Planetarium is located in the H&NS Building on campus.  See Maps - Directions on the menu list above left.