Instructions for the Public:
The majority of the talks of the open house season are given by undergraduates at the University of Washington, individuals who are either majoring in physics and astronomy or are in other majors but really enthusiastic about astronomy. However, several of our talks are also given by the talented graduate students and faculty of the UW Astronomy Department. Talks are geared towards the general public with no prior knowledge of astronomy necessary, and we always do our best to make the talks child-friendly. Please come and lend your support – by being in the audience you will be taking part in the educational program at the UW.
The talks on a given evening start approximately 5 minutes after opening and take place in the classroom that adjoins the Observatory. If the sky is clear enough, the dome will be open for viewing celestial objects through the ancient telescope, and additional telescopes will be set up outside.
Reservations are necessary for the talks and viewing the dome telescope after the talks finish. No reservations are needed to tour the rest of the Observatory and take part in the exhibits, activities, and viewing through outdoor telescopes available on the Observatory grounds.