Go on a clear night with little or no moon light. Check their website. Only a limited number of days they have the volunteers to staff the various telescopes. Dress in layers, even in warm weather and get there at sunset. Later the crowds start coming and lengthen the time you have to wait to look at the various objects through the telescopes. read more

Pine Mt Observatory: https://pmo.uoregon.edu They are open to the public Friday and Saturday. Times of operation dusk to 10PM. If you are planning on arriving past 10PM I would call ahead to let the Observatory astronomer know your coming. 541-382-8331 This is a volunteer position so opening and closing is up to the volunteer. On a clear night the observatory will have a lot more star gazers, so they usually stay open till midnight. If your adventurous spend the night camping near the observatory. Camp sites are first come first serve bases. No fees to camp. There is one port a potty but no running water. If you have an SUV drive past the camp sites to view the top. Or take a very short walk and enjoy a very stunning view. Just remember "Leave No Trace" policy when you pack up and leave your camp site. The weather is a major factor for the observatory to be open. I would suggest to check the weather an hour before you head up. If it's raining or snowing they are closed. Wild fire smoke? Check the observatory webcam on their site. Unfortunately, this observatory is not handicap accessible. They have gravel paths and dirt roads. It's also very dark with no street lights. If you have a red light, it's the best to use so you don't bother other star gazers with a bright white light. The astronomer is a very good host. He is very knowledgeable about our solar system. He was answering lots of questions, talking about the stars, and it's history. The observatory is located 6,300 ft above sea level, so dress accordingly. read more

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My bf and I went up here to look at the view and do a bit of geocaching. It was a bit rainy on the day we went so we had the place to ourselves. It had been many years since I'd been up here and, thus, I had forgotten the 8 miles on a gravel road. Not that, that in itself is a problem but I would have probably suggested to the bf that taking his convertible up there was a mistake. :) The trip went without incident and it was lightly raining but nothing compared to what we have in the valley so it was all good. It was an August day so I'm sure the locals weren't happy with this. Having been a local in my youth, I know how the weather can spoil you. We looked around and did some hiking and promised ourselves we would come back on a clear night and take in the stars up close. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It was a fun one. read more

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http://pmo.uoregon.edu/ What a fantastic way to get out into THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE and enjoy the cosmos in all its wonder. We were out on a Saturday night, just shy of a half moon that stayed with us only until around 10:30. Arrive before sundown; take the short hike up to the top of the nearby hill/peak and survey a stunning view of the area and watch the sun go down. During summer weekends, a group of volunteers give a very organized and informative brief at sundown inside a tent with audio/visual aids. Answering questions of all stripe about the sciences, our guide, Kent, was a wonderful guide to the evening. After the brief intro, we walked up to the 24 inch scope and were shown a few features; watching the scope and dome reposition was cool in and of itself. We got to go inside the larger dome to see the research telescope and learn the realities of academic astronomy and astrophysics: often the researchers never step foot on the property; rather they call and order up their data, and it's delivered to them. That made the volunteers doing time out into the public and under the stars even more valuable. Two ameature astromers had brought out their telescopes and had them set up as well, and were happy to share, talk and answer questions. It really was an amazing evening. Just sitting back on the starwatching benches (angled back for best viewing), you are overwhemled with the THOUSANDS of stars you don't see in any area near a city. Pair this realization with the potential present in each one of those tiny dots (not to mention the ones you can't see with the naked eye) and, well, if you leave Pine Mountain without a serious case of awe and wonder... you just aren't right! read more

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A really fun experience with passionate people sharing a wealth of knowledge. Absolutely fantastic. read more

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