State Park
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 The Goldendale Observatory Interpretive Center is located on a hilltop North of Goldendale, Washington. It is a unique facility because it caters to the general public with programs designed to educate the novice as well as the experienced star gazer. They have a number of telescopes including a 24.5 inch that is used in the evenings for public viewing sessions. The facility is run by the Washington State Parks Department. Steve Stout serves as the facility supervisor and is a very knowledgeable amateur astronomer and friend of mine. He gives an interesting talk before each session and keeps the public updated on the latest happenings in the cosmos. Enjoy the Clear Sky Chart above and the weather link below. Keep in mind these are only predictions and weather conditions can change rapidly. The background color of this webpage is called Cosmic Latte, it is the average color of our universe.  Click on image for more weather information The observatory is the result of the efforts of four men, M.W. McConnell, John Marshall, Don Conner and O.W. VanderVelden who built the 24.5 inch telescope. These men offered to donate the telescope to the City of Goldendale on the condition that a building be provided to house it. Funds for the building were provided by a federal grant, and the observatory was dedicated October 13, 1973.
Observatory Exact Location
Latitude - 45 degrees, 50 minutes, 20.104 seconds Longitude - 120 degrees, 48 minutes, 49.787 seconds Elevation - 2100 feet above sea level  How to get to the Observatory Coming from the North. As you approach Goldendale, look for a sign that says Goldendale Observatory next right Take the first exit into Goldendale (Broadway). Go one mile to the four-way stop, turn right, go North 0.7 mile to a fork in the road. Take the right fork, stay on the paved road and continue 0.7 mile up hill to the Observatory parking lot. Coming from the South. As you approach Goldendale look for a sign that says Goldendale Observatory next left. Take the last exit into Goldendale (Broadway). (Rest of directions same as those above). Map to Goldendale Observatory Summer Evening Program April - September Wednesday through Sunday, 8PM - Midnight Admission fee is by donation 
The Goldendale Observatory's Summer hours from April 1st to September 30th are Wednesday through Sunday. Sessions are held from 2:00 to 5:00 PM in the afternoon with solar viewing and telescope displays. There is also a library for in house study of astronomy. An evening session from 8:00 to Midnight gives visitors a chance to view celestial objects through the eyepiece of some of the observatory's telescopes, including the 24.5 inch Cassegrain. The evening session starts at 8:00 PM and those arriving later will miss part of the interpretive program, which will not be repeated that evening. The interpretive program, along with the telescope viewing, is free to the public. You do not need to make a reservation to attend the public sessions at the observatory, but if you have a large group coming, (10 or more) it is best to call ahead and let Steve know about your group size, needs etc. Several large groups showing up on the same evening could overcrowd the facility. An overview of the evening program is given below.
May at the Observatory
By Stephen R. Stout, Interpretive Specialist at Goldendale Observatory May Tour of the UniverseGoldendale, Washington - Spring/Summer hours are now in effect at the Observatory through the end of September. Visiting hours are 2-5 PM and 8 PM - Midnight, Wednesdays through Sundays. For the month of May, telescope viewing under clear skies should reveal the Moon from the 7th to the 23rd (New Moon is on the 5th ) and the planet Saturn. The constellations Corona Borealis, Draco, Hercules, Ophiuchus, Scorpius and Serpens will be identified and deep sky objects such as a nebula, star cluster and galaxy in the constellations will be viewed through the telescopes. During "The Stars Tonight," portion of the program, current topics from Sky and Telescope Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, Night Sky Magazine, the Astronomical Calendar, "The Observer's Year" and "365 Starry Nights" will be presented. The afternoon program which begins at 2:05 p.m. may include telescope views of sun-spots, the planet Venus and possibly the bright star Sirius. Special programs at Goldendale ObservatoryThere will be a special guest speaker at the evening session of Goldendale Observatory on May 31, 2008. Greg Cermak is a NASA ambassador. He will give a slide presentation in the Goldendale Observatory amphitheater. The program is titled 'Organics on Titan, Water on Enceladus: Worlds of Possibilities for Life on Saturn's Moons'. Greg Cermak is a software engineer and technical trainer from Battleground, WA. He is a Solar System Ambassador for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and teaches Astrobiology at Washington State University - Vancouver. His interests include technology, reading, history, and bicycling. He is a frequent speaker at school programs, public, and industry events. In conjunction with this special presentation there is a week long event in Goldendale, WA called Fiddlin' Around the Stars. From May 27 through June 1, 2008 there will be continuous music by Bluegrass bands at Ekone Park of East Broadway in Goldendale. On Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31 some of the bands will be performing in the amphitheater at Goldendale Observatory. This weeklong event is sponsored as a cooperative effort between the City of Goldendale and Goldendale Observatory State Park. Call the Goldendale Observatory at (509)773-3141 or send an email to goldendale.observatory@parks.wa.gov for more information about any of these programs. Current NASA missionsThere will be plenty of activity on Mars and Saturn in the next few Months. I have put a link to the Mars and Saturn Mission websites at JPL, so you may look at all the pictures from the missions. I have also linked to the International Space Station website at NASA.  Winter visiting hours from Oct 1st to March 31st are Friday through Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 PM and evenings from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Contact the Observatory for more information. Plan on visiting this fine facility in the future and enjoy a family outing under the stars. Note: Read the Summer evening program above for more information about there interpretive programs. An overview of the evening program is given below.
In order for the Observatory to continue to grow and improve its facility it must rely on volunteer help. This volunteer help is needed in any of the following areas: Greeter - Usher - Program Presenter - Telescope Operator - Tour Guide If you would like to volunteer some time or possibly have equipment you would like to donate to the Observatory, contact Steve Stout at the address or telephone number below. The Observatory maintains a wish list of equipment they need and have a donation box to help save money to buy equipment on this list. In addition, the Goldendale Observatory is now on line and has its own e-mail address. The Goldendale Observatory State Park is your public gateway to the stars - Enjoy! There is an active group of support people for the observatory. They are called Friends of the Goldendale Observatory. Follow the link to their web site and learn how you can help support the Goldendale Observatory. I have included the Observatory mailing address and contact information below if you need to plan ahead for a trip. Goldendale Observatory State Park
1602 Observatory Drive Goldendale, WA 98620 Telephone (509) 773-3141 Fax (509) 773-6929 E-mail goldendale.observatory@parks.wa.gov Washington State Parks Website
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The Goldendale Observatory Corporation, a non-profit group led by a volunteer board of directors, leased the observatory from the City of Goldendale until December 1980, when the State Parks Commission purchased the site. From January 1981 to July 1981, an interim agreement between the Commission and the corporation operated the observatory. The Commission assumed full operation on July 1, 1981, and the corporation board now acts in an advisory capacity. A much more detailed history of the observatory is 
