Observatory

Welcome to Our Observatory

At most schools, students majoring in astronomy and astrophysics have to leave campus to observe the night sky. But not at Widener.

Our Main Campus in Chester is home to an observatory for viewing the planets, stars, nebulae, clusters, galaxies, and more. Through our 16-inch computerized Meade Cassegrain reflecting telescope and several, smaller, 12-inch telescopes, you will gain hands-on experiences and get up-close-and-personal with all-things interstellar.

Our observatory is also a wonderful community resource. It's used by area school children and community groups, and is open to the public for stargazing sessions during the academic year.

Public Stargazing

The registration link for the available Monday and Friday evening events appears below. These are small group sessions with 25 or fewer participants, including Widener students who get priority. We will also consider requests for special group sessions on certain Mondays. In all cases, attendees must register in advance online.

Click on the link here to register for an available Public Stargazing session (if available):

 Public Stargazing Registration Form

Private Group Viewing Sessions

The observatory can be reserved for private group telescope viewing sessions. We consider requests for elementary and high school classes, Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, and other organizations. These sessions are generally held on Monday nights, separate from the public session. The maximum number (adults and children) we can accommodate is 25.

Click on the link here to submit your interest for more details:

Outside Student Group Observatory Session Request Form