Stargazing is a great activity to get into here in Northern California. After all, our region typically experiences crystal-clear nighttime skies—great for seeing all those stars! Visiting an observatory is definitely a good way to go when you’re looking to experience the magic of an ultra starry sky, especially if it’s the Community Observatory in Placerville. Whether you’re a hardcore stargazing enthusiast or a complete newbie, everybody’s welcome to visit the observatory and take a peek through the telescopes. There’s simply no better place to gaze at the night sky.
Located in Placerville, the Community Observatory gives visitors an excellent opportunity to experience the surreal splendor of the night sky.
Situated on an isolated piece of land that's far away from any sort of artificial light, there's truly no better place to view the stars above. If you're looking for a place to spend a quiet but memorable evening with family, this is definitely the place to go.
Everybody is welcome to visit the Community Observatory and it's also fully accessible to visitors with disabilities. Admission to the observatory is completely free. Although, keep in mind that there is a $2 parking fee at the nearby college.
The Community Observatory was a major community-based project led by the Rotary Club of Cameron Park. It's been around since 2006 and has attracted stargazing enthusiasts from all over since then. Featuring a 17-inch, 16-inch, and 14-inch telescope for viewing the galaxy, we can certainly see why.
Boasting an all-volunteer staff of docents, the observatory proudly offers free viewing experiences through their state-of-the-art telescopes. Don't worry if you've never been to an official observatory before—the docents are there to help you identify the objects in the sky and assist in any way you may need!
Telescope observation is a quiet activity that requires intense concentration, so be sure to leave those cell phones on silent when visiting the observatory. Additionally, optimal viewing conditions require complete darkness, so visitors are asked to turn off any personal device that may create illumination.
The Community Observatory is only open on weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and visitors are asked to check for closures due to weather about an hour prior to the nightly viewing. Viewing takes place 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the summer, and 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. during the winter. Learn more about this community stargazing destination here.
Did you know Placerville had a Community Observatory? This place is awesome for anybody with an interest in stargazing! Tell us about your favorite stargazing spots in the comments below.
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