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 with tours at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm
And Visit Us in the Evening to view through the telescopes to see the Moon, stars, and planets every Thursday and Friday night at 8:30pm
Astronomy Classes For Beginners
These classes will keep you looking up while learning a new astronomical topic each month
SUNDAY, SUN-DAY, SUNDAE
July 1 and August 5, from 1-4pm
Combining safe solar viewing with eating ice cream - it's like the best summer-time event ever!
First Star - Children's Book
Meet renowned author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand and get his latest book. It's astronomical!
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