Observatories are home to some of the biggest and most impressive telescopes in the world. As many amateur astronomers know, there are numerous ways to experience the night sky beyond looking through a telescope in your own backyard. Maryland has impressive observatories that offer a wide variety of star parties, tours, and observatory programs that will expand your knowledge of astronomy and your love of the night sky, whether you are new to astronomy or have been in the hobby for years.
For your convenience, we have compiled an alphabetical list of observatories in Maryland that offer programs for the public.
Disclaimer: This information was collected from the observatories’ websites in July 2024. Some information may be subject to change if the websites are updated. If interested in visiting one of the listed observatories, please contact the observatory for the latest information before you visit.
Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory
The Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory is located in Baltimore, Maryland. It sits on the roof of the Maryland Science Center.
Telescopes
The Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory houses an 8” Alvan Clark and Sons Telescope built in 1927. It has since been upgraded to be computer-driven and is equipped with video cameras that project live images into the Davis Planetarium.
Visiting
The observatory is open to the public on Saturdays from 1:00pm – 4:00pm as long as the weather permits. This is a free event. The staff asks that if a group of twenty or more people are planning to visit, that they be contacted at least a week ahead of time to give notice. A calendar of observatory events can be found here.
Image Credit: Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory
Maryland Space Grant Observatory
The observatory is a part of the Maryland Space Grant Consortium located in Baltimore, Maryland. The consortium itself was established by Congress in 1988 and implemented by NASA.
Equipment
The main telescope housed at the Maryland Space Grant Observatory is the 20” Morris W. Offit Telescope. It is a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope design and donated anonymously.
Visiting
The observatory holds a public event called Open Houses most Friday evenings. Opening and closing times depend on the season, so it is best to keep an eye on the observatory’s webpage. This Maryland observatory also hosts a number of other events throughout the year. These additional events can be found on the event calendar.
Image Credit: Maryland Space Grant Consortium
University of Maryland Observatory
The University of Maryland Observatory was built in 1963 and dedicated in 1964. Run by the Astronomy Program at the University of Maryland, the site is utilized by university astronomy classes. It is located in College Park, Maryland on the university campus.
Telescopes
The two main telescopes housed in the University of Maryland Observatory are the 20” Bent Cassegrain Reflector telescope and an 8” reflector.
Visiting
The UMD Astronomy Observatory remains closed to all public outreach activities from Fall 2022 up until the time of writing this article (June 2024).
Image Credit: UMD Observatory Management
Interested in finding an observatory or planetarium in your state? Check out our Astronomy Hub!
