Photo:SeanMurphy
Three College Observatory is an observatory run jointly by the University of North Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, and Guilford College. Located up a gravel road next to 5106 Thompson Mill Road, Graham, NC 27253, the observatory was built in 1981. This location in rural Alamance is very important because it allows students to properly study the Milky Way in a dark sky setting, away from light pollution. Approximately 1,000 students, astronomers, and community members visit the site each year. Designed by W. Edward Jenkins, the 1,100 square foot building includes an observatory dome, a dark room, a small classroom, and two restrooms. It also contains an 0.81 meter reflecting telescope, one of the largest in the country. On designated Friday and Saturday nights year-round, the observatory is open to the public, except for July through September. Check their calendar (listed here: http://www.uncg.edu/phy/tco/schedule.html) for days listed as “public”. Groups of more than eight people will have to make a special request for a reservation and that can be done by contacting tco@uncg.edu. You can also get information or assistance by calling the Physics and Astronomy Department of UNC Greensboro at (336)334-5844.
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