oregon observatory at sunriver

You'll be amazed at the array of telescopes and viewing apparatus available for just the price of admission. This is a totally "hands on" kind of place where stargazers of all levels will be able to see the wonders of our solar system (Saturn is always a favorite) up close and personal. The volunteers are enthusiastic and helpful, and the number of available telescopes is kind of overwhelming. Be sure and dress warmly, even in summer, as the temperature dips at night and most of the viewing is right out in the open. If you have kids and/or grandkids it may be helpful to do a little advance planning and learn about the planets and other celestial wonders before coming out since the viewing is pretty much "on your own" and it would help for kids to have some reference to the things they're seeing.

We in town for a conference and the conference staff recommended visiting this observatory and I am so glad we did! It was a partly overcast evening so there was no charge. We couldn't see everything but the views we did have were great! The staff was phenomenal and the presentation was "out of this world" ;) but really, it was excellent, funny, and informative.

We where there for the two hour star party and got to see several star clusters, jupiter, and a very big bright moon. Lots of scopes set up with expert astronomers to tell you about the sights. Great for kids 10 and over who are interested in science. Small fee to get in, see their web site for details. And bring a jacket no matter when you go, it gets cold!

This was something I always wanted to do. The observatory is not open all year. It is small, but worth it. We viewed the sun through different filters, the day viewing was free, the night a small charge.

Our group arrived at 8:00 and viewed Mars and Saturn in the telescopes. We then listened to a half hour presentation on Mars before returning to the telescopes to view the night sky. The staff and volunteers were very helpful and informative. This was my favorite Sunriver activity!

We had NO idea how many telescopes this facility had nor how many superbly informed staff there were on hand to answer numerous questions.We were able to observe Mars, Saturn and a nearly full moon in addition to a couple of globular clusters (one with over a million stars for heavens sake).The 30-minute presentation in the theater provided interesting insights into the solar system and was done with more than a little flair. This venue is a MUST visit for all ages!

We love both the daytime solar viewing (free!) and the evening programs at the observatory. An amazing experience to view through these world-class scopes and the volunteers are fantastic. Only suggestion is that the evening presentation on this trip was a repeat from our last trip (life on Mars) and so mixing it up more would be nice for repeat visitors.

Driving to Sunriver in the evening made us aware of the dark star filled sky. We spent 1-2 hours every night on the patio gazing at stars and constellations identifying them with Google Sky. Even saw a couple of shooting stars and a satellite go by. Too bad I found out about the observatory on the last day we were there. We visited during the day when 2 telescopes with different filters allows you to see the sun. There were a couple of staff who seemed very knowledgeable and they even brought out some of the space rocks to share with us. I wish I could have gone back for the night viewing (which has a fee) but we had to head back home. Definitely something we will do when we visit again.

Great place... Got to see Saturn's rings for my first time...Dark enough to see a lot of the milky way..They had about 10 telescopes lined up first come first serve. Never know what they are going to see. I even point out the ISS flying over to be every one..A little noisy with the kids... But most people did not stay after they saw the first 5-6 telescopes. So it was nice.. I just laid down on a bench and looked for Satellites and meteors. On our day they were open 9-11pm. TIP.....I got there a bit early to let my eyes adjust... Jupiter was not visible. But I am sure you can see it in a month or so.. There is a little town and shopping just before you get there..TIP... Go to the back and start there... While everyone is standing in line at the front telescopes..

Fun, informative & inexpensive. Amazing views of the stars and planets. Laser light show was fun and my family and I learned a lot.

We went almost as an afterthought, turned out to be one of the best experiences of our week at Sunriver. A bit crowded, but well worth it.

Went here one night with three teens who were, at first, less than thrilled. There were a large number of telescopes out with lots of workers telling us what we were looking at. We were all mesmerized by the two telescopes with views of Saturn, including the rings. It was so cool! The parking is fairly limited, so get there early, but it was just a fun experience that we all agree we were glad we didn't skip.

Don't miss this experience! We brought a 21 year old, 9 and 11 year old and had a blast! This facility is a treasure and the volunteers and staff are amazing! We saw stars, galaxies, planets and the moon and then went back for their free sun viewing during the day. Can't recommend this experience enough! Parking is limited, but bike trail goes straight there.

Honestly, we are not space or planetary science fans but chose to do the observatory because it was there, we almost didn't go. But we are SOOOOOO glad we did! There were at least 10 telescopes showing, in detail, Saturn and it's rings, galaxies, and stars. It was awesome! They also had a constellation presentation that was great. There really aren't many opportunities to see this much space 'stuff' at once. We all enjoyed it and totally recommend it.

This is our forth trip to Sunriver and our first time to the Observatory. It certainly won't be our last. The combination of self-paced viewing and interesting presentations was perfect. There were lots of people but not long waits at all. We all learned a lot. Glen-with-one-n did a stellar--you see what I did there?- job on the presentation. What a gem in the heart of Oregon!