Observatory
The Observatory will be open on February 6 and February 20, from 8:00pm - 10:00pm. If it is clear, we will take out telescopes and look at some beautiful astronomical objects. We also give a tour of the facility, which includes the one-tenth scale model of the Hale Telescope at Mt. Palomar and images that we have taken with the telescopes on campus.
The Observatory will be open the first and third Fridays of the month for the winter/spring: February 6 and 20, March 6, April 3 and 17, and May 1 and 15. Please note the observatory will not be open on Friday, March 20. Beginning in April, the observatory will be open from 8:30pm-10:30pm. No prior reservations are required, but if you have a group of greater than 10 people that you would like to bring to the observatory, call 607-962-9494 and leave a message with a phone number so we can return your call.
Parking for the Observatory is available in the Digital Dome parking lot. Parking at the Observatory is reserved for our visitors who require accessible parking. All of our events are free and open to the public!
If you are interested in attending a Digital Dome Show, please check out their link here.
EVENTS
Makerspace Projects: The Sky's the Limit!
Talk given by John van Otterloo, Makerspace Manager at Corning Community College
February 6, 2026
7:30pm at the Eileen Collins Observatory
Our next meeting of the Elmira-Corning Astronomical Society will feature a talk given by John van Otterloo about our new Makerspace at CCC and how it can be used for astronomy! Ever wanted to make your own telescope? Find out how you can make 3D printed telescopes, telescope accessories, models of the moon, a star-tracking system using a raspberry pi computer, astronomy-themed jewelry, and more. Explore the possibilities of what you can make in the Makerspace at Corning Community College.
The meeting is free and open to the public. Please park in the lower lot (near the Digital Dome) as parking near the Observatory is reserved for those needed special accommodations.
TELESCOPES
We have many types and sizes of telescopes here at our Observatory. Our two largest telescopes are both reflectors — the 20" and the 16". Our 20" telescope is the one-tenth scale model of the Hale Telescope at Mount Palomar in California.
We have 14", 12", 10", 8", and 6" reflectors that were built by members of the Elmira-Corning Astronomical Society. We have 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain reflectors in addition to 4" refractors and a solar telescope.
Everything at the observatory is free and open to the public! Please note that most of our time is spent outside, if the weather is clear. So please dress for the weather!
Parking is available in the Planetarium parking lot. The only parking at the Observatory is reserved for our visitors requiring accessible parking.
Questions?
Deborah Dann, Director of the Observatory