Observe the night sky!

Observe the night sky through a 20-inch optical telescope at the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory on Rutgers’ Busch Campus.

Public open viewing nights are scheduled for March 13, 20, & 27, weather permitting. Free admission!

The observatory is open for two hours starting at 8:30 p.m. (October through March).
Observing will be canceled for that night if the skies are cloudy at the beginning of the observing session. Please check this web-site for the most up-to-date information. https://observatory.rutgers.edu/

Naked-eye visibility of satellites from the Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory may be found at the Heavens-Above Main Page .

More details on location: The Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory is located in the dome on the roof of the Serin Physics Laboratories on the corner of Frelinghuysen Road and Allison Road on the Busch Campus of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Our address is 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ and directions to our building are available. The public can park in lot 53 (between the building and the street) or lot 53A (about one block east on the other side of Frelinghuysen Road), but should obtain an electronic permit beforehand. To obtain the permit, follow this link. Rutgers faculty, staff, and students do not need to obtain an additional permit, but should only park in lots allowed by their existing parking permits (in most cases, this does NOT include lot 53). Enter the doors on the west end of the building (facing Allison Road) and take the stairs (left or right sides of the lobby) or the elevator (left side of the lobby) to the fourth floor.