Coit Observatory

Cool place to show off to a date or out of towners! Placed atop the roof of BU this hidden gem is fun and free if you’re into planets and stars! Plus you get a nice view of the city and the Charles river… every Wednesday night… there is a number you can call that will give you the details @ 617−353−2630.

I’m not sure if I had too high expectations for this place. Perhaps I romanticize the idea of stargazing. But one thing I know for sure this is not what I expected. For a while I had been meaning to check this place out. Wednesday nights they let the public use their telescopes.
What I envisioned: Multiple telescopes, between 5 – 8 available for public use. Maybe a guide or 2 telling you which direction what planets are where. Giving a little background information on astronomy, sharing their kooky knowledge borderline obsessive love of the stars. And maybe each person getting 30secs to a minute of viewing time in the serene atmosphere that one gets from being on the pitch black roof of a building with the Boston skyline in clear view when you’re not gazing at the stars.
What I got: 2 telescopes, 2 lines, one for viewing the moon, one for viewing Mars. Okay, those machines are probably more expensive than I thought and BU probably doesn’t want too many expensive items in the hands of the general public, even if it’s just for an hour each week. 1 guy, who just went back and forth between the telescopes to make sure they were calibrated and were pointing where they needed to be.
A plethora of kids. I couldn’t help but notice that there were a bunch of kids just running around on the pitch black roof of the observatory. It felt almost like waiting on an amusement park line. It is NOT okay to have kids running around on any roof like they are at Six Flags. Parents can be so neglectful but not once did I notice the guy who was monitoring the telescopes say something. If something happens on that roof BU would be held liable.
I waited about 15mins to see the surface of the moon for 10 seconds. I didn’t even bother waiting to see Mars it was just not what I expected and left me a little disappointed.

Every Wednesday night, weather permitting, the Observatory is open to the public for viewing. They set up several telescopes to check out the moon, planets, and constellations. I’ve even Saturn, the moon in different stages, and the Andromeda Galaxy. The staff (students?) are very informative and patient, even when a troop of girl scouts are visiting.
Finding the stairwell up to the roof can be tricky. Go to the top floor, head into the astronomy wing. If you don’t see a crowd of people, look for an open solid door, there will be a little plaque next to it. While in the astronomy wing, check out the pictures and posters they have about the moon, black holes, sun, and our galaxy.
Follow them on twitter for updates because the weather effects the schedule.

Free observatory Wednesdays makes me giddy with glee. I am growing increasingly obsessed with space and the universe. Don’t ask why, I’m just becoming more and more dorky with age. So the prospect of actually getting to gaze at the stars and planets was an awesome one. And it is free too!
I went two Wednesdays ago and I got to see Jupiter, its moon Europa and a globular cluster. I’m going to come here all year long, hoping to see more and more. Heck, even the view of Boston is a reason to come out for this free event. The observatory is atop one of BU buildings and overlooks downtown Boston and Cambridge Make sure to call the night of to see if they are still holding the viewing since weather can obviously affect telescopes.

I saw Saturn. No really, I haven’t become some pod person (despite the fact that I sometimes do the robot in awkward situations). It’s not all that impressive (Saturn. not my version of the robot) and it totally looks like the astronomy club pasted fake planets to the telescopes. but I saw it. :)
Coit Observatory is a great place to go year round because of the whole rotating Earth thing. If you go every couple months there’ll be something «new» to see. «new» planets. «new» stars. etc. Every time I’ve gone, there’s been someone from BU’s astronomy department (mostly club members), so they’ll help you see the good stuff. Usually the telescopes are locked down on a certain location so that you don’t have be all peeping tom and go wild searching the skies for a blip that might be a cool star. They even taught me how to find my way home if I’m lost in a forest using the bright shiny bits in the sky! heh Of course all I remember talking about is being mauled by bears. but they didn’t laugh when I asked them questions (sky related).
Did I mention this is FREE to the public? And right next to the T stop? Bookasha. that’s how I roll baby! Only issue is. well. it’s Boston. Sooooo… I wouldn’t plan out a whole evening based on the observatory since clear skies are a major factor. They do have a phone number to call and check in with but they can cancel the night up two hours before the start time (start time varies between the seasons of course).
OH. and since the telescopes are outside (and at the top of one of the BU buildings), bringing warm clothing year round is a good idea!