SFA Observatory

09/09/2026

🔭✨ Join us for a Public Night at the SFA Observatory! ✨🪐

Come spend an evening under the East Texas sky with us! Starting at 8:00 PM, we’ll have telescopes set up for visitors to explore some of the best sights in the October night sky.

🪐 Saturn will be a highlight of the evening, with its famous rings visible through our telescopes. October is an especially good time to see Saturn, as the planet is near its closest and brightest for the year.

🌌 We’ll also turn our telescopes toward some of the other great sights of the fall sky, including star clusters, double stars, and, conditions permitting, the Andromeda Galaxy and other deep-sky objects.

⭐ We’ll also give a guided tour of the night sky, pointing out the major stars and constellations overhead and showing you how to find your way around the autumn sky.

The event is free and open to the public, but we ask visitors to register in advance so we can plan for parking. Only one free ticket is needed per vehicle, not per person.

🎟️ Reserve your free parking ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfa-observatory-public-night-october-2026-tickets-2000303351170?aff=oddtdtcreator

Bring your family, your questions, and your curiosity. We hope to see you under the stars! 🌠

*This event is weather permitting and will be postponed if clouded out.*

07/10/2026

https://www.sfasu.edu/about-sfa/newsroom/2026/asteroid-discovered-sfa-observatory-named-honor-late-astronomer-don-carona

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– An asteroid discovered at the Stephen F. Austin State University Observatory in Nacogdoches in 1999 has been officially named Carona in honor of late Texas A&M University astronomer Don Carona.

10/08/2025

You're invited to explore the autumn night sky with us at the SFA Observatory for our Public Night on Saturday, October 25, starting at 7:30 PM.

We will have several telescopes available for you to get an up-close look at the cosmos. The highlight of the evening will be a magnificent view of Saturn, where you'll be able to clearly see its beautiful rings.

Our guides will also host a laser-guided tour of the constellations and point our telescopes towards fascinating deep-sky objects. With the moon setting early, the sky will be dark and perfect for viewing distant wonders. Depending on conditions, we hope to show you:

*The Andromeda Galaxy (M31), the closest major galaxy to our own Milky Way, visible as a faint smudge to the naked eye and a grand spiral through a telescope.

*The Ring Nebula (M57), the ghostly, smoke-ring-like remnant of a star like our sun.

*The Pleiades Star Cluster (M45), also known as the Seven Sisters, a brilliant cluster of young, hot blue stars.

*The Double Cluster in Perseus, a stunning pair of open star clusters containing hundreds of stars.

This is a wonderful event for all ages and levels of experience.

Parking at the observatory is limited, so we do ask that you register in advance for a free ticket to help us manage attendance. Please reserve your spot at the Eventbrite link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfa-observatory-public-night-october-2025-tickets-1788226546739
(Only one ticket is needed per vehicle!)

04/04/2025

🌌 Join us for Public SFA Observatory Night! 🔭
📍 SFA Observatory
📅 Saturday, April 26, 2025
🕣 8:30 PM

Come spend an evening under the stars with the SFA Lumberjack astronomers! We’ll have telescopes set up and ready for you to explore the night sky. Jupiter will be shining bright in the west after sunset, and Mars will be visible in the east with its signature red glow. With dark skies that night, it’s a great chance to catch some deep space favorites too—like the Orion Nebula and the Beehive Cluster. Notifications will be sent to your ticket email in case of cancellation due to weather.

🎟️ Free tickets are required due to limited parking. Reserve yours here (only one needed per vehicle!):
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfa-observatory-public-night-april-2025-tickets-1312978406759

03/13/2025

🔭 No Telescope Needed! 🔭

Late Thursday Night: This week's total lunar eclipse, will be visible to the naked eye—no telescope or special equipment required! Just step outside and look up! The moon will be it's darkest (red) about 2 hours after Midnight, on Thursday, March 13th (which is technically 2 AM on March 14th of course).

🕑 Peak Totality: Around 2:00 AM Central Time +/- 33 minutes
⏳ Totality Duration: ~66 minutes

During this time, the Moon will turn a deep red as it moves fully into Earth's shadow—a true Blood Moon! 🌑🔴

Clear skies and enjoy the show! 🌙

12/06/2024

It looks like the skies will be too cloudy to see objects with a telescope on Saturday night at the SFA Observatory. However, we would like to invite you to the SFA Planetarium this Saturday. Check out our showtimes at https://www.planetarium.sfasu.edu and follow us on Facebook at SFASU Planetarium!

10/11/2024

Join us for our next public night at the observatory on Friday, November 1, starting at 7:30 pm! Come marvel at the wonders of the fall sky, with Jupiter and Saturn glowing in the southwestern sky and Orion rising in the east. Don’t miss the chance to glimpse the Orion Nebula (M42) below Orion’s Belt and the beautiful Pleiades star cluster (M45) nearby in Ta**us.

Due to limited parking, please reserve your spot by registering here (only one ticket per vehicle is required): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfa-observatory-public-night-tickets-1045143421107

09/04/2024

The first public viewing of the fall season will on Saturday, September 28 at 8 pm. This will include telescope viewings of night sky objects, and a laser pointer tour of the autumn sky.

The evening will feature the prominent planet Jupiter, visible in the eastern sky, shining brightly with its distinctive white glow. Saturn will also be visible, though it will be lower in the southeast, showcasing its iconic ring system through a telescope. The constellations of Pegasus and Andromeda will be rising in the eastern sky, and you might spot the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) with a telescope or binoculars, appearing as a faint, elongated smudge of light. As the night progresses, the Milky Way will stretch across the southern sky, offering a stunning view of countless stars and deep-sky objects.

Space is limited, so please register for free tickets in advance (only one needed per vehicle): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfa-observatory-public-night-tickets-1008579357007

04/07/2024

Some of our Hi-Resolution models are starting to show some favorable conditions for portions of NE Texas, SE OK and SW Arkansas for the ! This image below is showing 4 of those models. While there remains some difference, overall theme is somewhat favorable.

04/07/2024

This printable fact sheet for the April 8th solar eclipse may be helpful to those wanting the best view of the eclipse. Teachers may also find this helpful for their classes.
Printable PDF: https://www.planetarium.sfasu.edu/docs/Solar-Eclipse-Fact-Sheet-2024.pdf?v=27