The Birthplace of American Astronomy
See through the oldest public telescope in the country.
Welcome to the
Cincinnati
Observatory
We are a fully functioning 19th century observatory and a National Historic Landmark used daily by the public and amateur astronomers, civic organizations, teachers and students, scouts and history buffs.
Visiting the Observatory
We are open Daytime Hours to see the historic buildings and telescopes, Monday-Friday from Noon-4pm.
And Visit Us in the Evening to view through the telescopes to see the Moon, stars, and planets most Thursday and Friday nights at 7:00pm (November & December)
TRANSIT OF MERCURY EVENT CANCELED
Monday November 11,
Although the Transit will happen, unfortunately we will need to cancel our viewing because of the weather. You can still Watch a Webcast of the Transit
MEET A METEORITE
November 9, from 7-9pm
Thank you for everyone who came to the event last night. We'll definitely do this again next year!
52 WEEKS OF ASTRONOMY
In 2019, we're bringing telescopes and programs to each of Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods
Join Us
Join, donate, and volunteer to make the "Birthplace of American Astronomy" a vibrant center for education and wonder
Public Events
See "What's Up" at the Observatory. Each season has a new planet, star cluster, or nebula to explore
School Programs
Plan a field trip, schedule an outreach visit to your classroom, or gather the scouts for an evening at the Observatory