Franklin+Miller+Observatory

Also, see Kenyon College and Brown Family Environmental Center
 * =Birding in Ohio=

Knox County
=Franklin Miller Observatory=

Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio 43022 Franklin Miller Observatory webpage Brown Family Environmental Center webpage Brown Family Environmental Center brochure and trail map

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Franklin Miller Observatory
Coordinates: 40.3838573, -82.4057114 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Tips for birding Franklin Miller Observatory
The Franklin Miller Observatory is located on the northern section of the grounds of the Brown Family Environmental Center. The grounds are open for birding whenever the environmental center is open.

About Franklin Miller Observatory
Atop a hill just outside Gambier to the northwest, the observatory enjoys clear, low horizons from the northeast through the southwest, as well as moderately low horizons to the west and north. At an elevation of about 1060 ft, the observatory is above the ground fog level on most summer nights (unlike at its previous location), providing better access to clear summer skies for student observing projects. Coincident with the move, the observatory acquired a new Paramount ME robotic telescope drive system, restoring computer pointing ability to the Celestron C-14 optical tube assembly and improving telescope tracking performance for astrophotography and CCD astronomy. Equipped with two SBIG CCD cameras, one for imaging with an Optec electronic focuser and filter wheel and SBIG AO-7 closed-loop guiding system and one for spectroscopy with an SBIG SGS slit spectrometer, recent physics students have pursued projects including nebula imaging, asteroid and variable star light curves, and photometric studies of atmospheric extinction at the observatory. Students in our introductory astronomy courses use the C-14 telescope as well as a set of 8-inch Celestron telescopes in doing lab exercises throughout the semester, and visitors to the observatory enjoy telescopic views of sights ranging from the Moon and bright planets such as Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn to distant star clusters and gaseous nebulae.

The observatory is open to the public, free of charge, on the last Friday of every month, weather permitting. Open house times are 8 PM to 10 PM EST, 9 PM to 11 PM EDT. Private groups may also request to schedule observatory sessions. From Franklin Miller Observatory webpage

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|| L3917008 US US-OH US-OH-083 40.3838573 -82.4057114 Franklin Miller Observatory