The Friday Night Public Observing at Turner Farm Roll-Top Observatory has broken all records.  During September and October, Fairfax County Parks and the Analemma Society have hosted more than 100 visitors each clear, cool Friday night. 

With four telescopes in the observatory, young children, teens, and adults get a ring-side seat to the universe. The Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn have been most popular.  Star clusters such as M13 show thousands of stars at a glance, and the Owl Nebula shows the gaseous envelope surrounding a dying sun-like star.

Analemma Society volunteers help visitors become familiar with the night sky, identifying constellations, finding bright and colorful stars, and become familiar with telescopic observation.

Come join us on a clear sky Friday night.  It's free and open to the public of all ages.  And remember to dress warmly - the roll-top observatory has the roof rolled back and inside it's the same temperature as being outside under the open sky.