Lowell Observatory
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4.2(303)yelp
PlanetariumScience
Overview
Lowell Observatory, established in 1894 in Flagstaff, Arizona, is one of the oldest astronomical observatories in the United States and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965. Renowned for its extraordinary contributions to science, the observatory was named one of "The World's 100 Most Important Places" by Time magazine in 2011. It holds a legendary place in history as the site where Pluto was discovered in 1930. Today, it thrives as a world-class public science center, allowing visitors to tour the historic Clark Refracting Telescope and view deep-sky wonders through state-of-the-art telescopes, all under the pristine canopy of the world’s first International Dark Sky City.
Practical Info
Mon1:00 – 11:00 PM
TueClosed
Wed1:00 – 11:00 PM
Thu1:00 – 11:00 PM
Fri1:00 – 11:00 PM
Sat1:00 – 11:00 PM
Sun1:00 – 11:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-4 hours
Best TimeClear nights year-round (especially 7 to 10 p.m.). As the world's first officially certified "International Dark-Sky City," Flagstaff keeps high-altitude light pollution controlled to nearly zero year-round, making it the absolute number-one golden site for stargazing in the U.S.
Getting ThereLocated on Mars Hill Road just west of the core of downtown Flagstaff. By car, following the rolling tree-shaded mountain road, you reach the summit in about 5 minutes; the site provides ample [all-day completely free large parking for reserved visitors]
Travel Tips
- Built in 1894, sitting atop Mars Hill at an elevation of over two thousand meters, this is an extremely old and historically rich private modern observatory in U.S. history, and a National Historic Landmark
- This is a sacred site in all of human aerospace history—in 1930 astronomer Tombaugh, through day-and-night photographic observation, [first discovered Pluto, the famous member of the solar system], right here; the museum still keeps the 13-inch Clark refracting telescope that made the crucial contribution
- The park newly upgraded the Giovale public observation deck, equipped with several of the world's top computer-controlled tracking giant refracting and reflecting telescopes
- On clear nights, staff open the giant steel-structure panoramic dome entirely, and astronomy PhDs guide you to directly observe with your own eyes the rings of Saturn and the Orion Nebula, hundreds of millions of light-years away
Reviews
Positive
- The ultimate chic site for cosmos and astronomy fans, cutting-edge tech veterans, and dating couples! Standing beneath that century-old all-wood giant dome, personally operating the priceless antique telescope that discovered Pluto, the greatness of humanity's pursuit of science gives you goosebumps all over
- So dreamy! Because Flagstaff is a dark-sky city, the night sky is as black as velvet; through the Giovale deck's giant telescope I clearly saw Saturn's beautiful straw-hat rings, and the whole crowd gasped. The astronomy experts explain vividly and humorously, and it's spotlessly clean—very highly recommended
Heads up
- Because the observatory is built atop a mountain over two thousand meters high, and for the most extreme nighttime stargazing visibility, the open-air observation deck is strictly forbidden from installing any heating or bright landscape lighting, so going at night in winter and spring is extremely cold—be sure to bring the most hardcore warm gear