Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute invites members of the community to the Hirsch Observatory to view planets, stars, and galaxies with the observatory’s 16-inch telescope. The observatory will be open to the public every Friday evening through November from 8-10 p.m. Anyone from the community is invited to come learn about our universe from Rensselaer students and faculty. Children are welcome.

“On a public observing night you will be able to see stars, nebulae, galaxies, planets, the craters on the moon, and if it’s up, you will enjoy my favorite object — the rings around Saturn,” said Heidi Newberg, Rensselaer professor of astronomy and faculty adviser for the observatory. 

More than $70,000 worth of improvements were completed on the facility and its telescope last year. The telescope now has state-of-the-art controls. It has an automated, revolving dome and a new computerized system that features a menu of the stars that can be found in each evening’s sky. Users pick the star they want to see from the menu and the scope and dome revolve to focus on the star. The scope will then track the star across the sky as the Earth gently rotates.

The Hirsch Observatory is used and managed primarily by the Rensselaer Astrophysical Society, a student-run organization that allows budding astronomers to hone their skills on a strong telescope. The society will be hosting the open house. 

The observatory serves as one of the only observatories in the Capital Region with regular public viewings. It also is a tool for the next generation of astronomers to get hands-on-experience with equipment comparable to that found in a national observatory. 

All visitors to the Hirsch Observatory are encouraged to dress warmly. Check the Observatory’s Web site at www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/observatory to see if the evening’s skies will be clear enough for a good viewing. But, the open house will be held regardless of conditions. 

The observatory is located on top of the Jonsson-Rowland Science Center on Rensselaer’s Troy campus.  A campus map can be found at www.rpi.edu/virtual_tour/RPI_Campus_Map.pdf.