North Georgia Astronomical Observatory

The North Georgia Astronomical Observatory exists to promote astronomy education to University of North Georgia students, as well as the general public. This state-of-the-art facility is located only four miles from the UNG Dahlonega Campus.

UNG Students

Monday - Friday (Monday - Thursday reserved for student labs)
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

The observatory is open for UNG student labs on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings (weather permitting). All other UNG students are welcome to attend public telescope viewings on Friday evenings.

Public Telescope Viewing

Friday
8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Students and community members are invited to free telescope viewings of the night sky on Friday evenings, weather permitting.

School/Group Visits

Please email observatory@ung.edu for information about school/group visits.

Check our Facebook page for the nightly opening status.

Transcript

NASA All-Sky Fireball Network Camera

On July 10, 2012, Dr. William Cooke and his crew from the NASA Meteoroid Environmental Office (MEO) came to NGAO and installed the eighth in a series of "all-sky" cameras designed to detect, track and study bright meteors (fireballs).

NGAO's Fireball Camera is currently calibrated and integrated into the network. Check out NASA's All Sky Fireball Network site to see "live-view" images throughout the night and archived videos of detected fireballs over the previous three weeks!

NGAO Weather Links

Clear Sky Chart Homepage
The Clear Sky Chart Homepage uses a Canadian weather service cloud condition forecast graphic to forecast the sky condition (clouds), atmospheric transparency, and darkness at several hundred sites in Canada and the USA. The NGAO clock below is linked to the NGAO clock on the Clear Sky Chart website.
Real-Time Weather Data (Satellite Page)
We usually consult the visible or IR animation for MGM (southeast). The visible image is only usable during daylight hours for the eastern continental U.S. The water vapor image is often helpful as well.
U.S. Current Jet Stream
The high wind shear associated with the jet stream creates thin turbulent layers which can degrade the "seeing". (The visible detail of an object as seen through the telescope is limited by atmospheric conditions. Astronomers use the term "seeing" in describing the quality of the detail or resolution allowed by the atmosphere, as in: "good seeing" = lots of detail, "bad seeing" = not much detail.) If the core of the jet stream is within a couple hundred kilometers of the observing site, the seeing may be affected.