Advanced Technology Center Observatory and Observational Deck
Montgomery County Community College is pleased to have our newest scientific facility, The Advanced Technology Center (ATC), offering a new advanced smart classroom, observational deck, and observatory with a 16-inch Meade-Cassegrain Telescope. We currently hold all our astronomy classes in these new facilities and enjoy using our new observatory to give breadth and value to the topics we cover.
Location of the ATC and Observatory Facilities
The ATC building is located at the corner of campus nearest the entrance off Morris Road. There is a small parking lot for the ATC and additional parking can be found in the major Science Center lots. The dome of the observatory is visible at the top of one of the glass stairwells of the ATC. Enter through the main doors from the ATC parking lot and take the stairwell to the right. Follow those stairs straight up and you'll find the observatory at the top, one flight above the 3rd floor. The observational deck is located on the third floor directly accessible from the stairwell as well as the small lobby area near the same stairwell.
Observatory Events
Community Open Nights
The observatory will be hosting public open nights (free of charge, no reservation required) in conjunction with the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers (DVAA) and the Bucks Mont Astronomical Association (BMAA). Please continue to visit our website for updated schedules regarding observing nights. All are welcome from the youngest to the oldest members of your family. Spread the word so that we may all enjoy the beauty of the night sky.
Troop Tuesday
Due to popular demand, the mc3 observatory will be hosting Troop Tuesday once a month. As part of our public outreach program, Troop Tuesday will provide an opportunity for boy and girl scout troops to visit our facility and have a night of guided sky observation with our 16 inch telescope. A Troop Tuesday night will consist of a tour of our facilities followed by the observation of celestial objects which will be determined based upon season and availability of objects. Due to space limitations, only 3 troops with approximately 10 children per troop can be hosted each Tuesday. If your troop is interested in attending a Troop Tuesday, please contact Kelli Spangler at kspangler@mc3.edu or via the observatory hotline to reserve your date.
Dress "Code"— Please remember that the observational deck, where additional telescopes will be located, is completely open. The observatory dome is more protected from the wind and cold but is still susceptible to weather. If it’s cold and windy during a community night event, please be sure to dress accordingly with hats, scarves, gloves, and warm coats.
Please see our schedule of master events for our observatory, DVAA, and MCAA observing as well as North Penn High School planetarium events.
Our events will use both Montgomery County Community College facilities, the observation deck and observatory. Some public nights will have the assistance of the DVAA and/or BMAA and their equipment while other events will be solely run by Montgomery County Community College faculty and students with the college's equipment. There will also be some solar events using the Montgomery County Community College Coronado 40 mm Solar Telescope and a selection of Coronado Personal Solar Telescopes to allow as many hands-on experiences possible.
