SFA Observatory

SFA Observatory The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stephen F. Austin State University operates the second largest Observatory in Texas and the Central Time Zone.

You're invited to explore the autumn night sky with us at the SFA Observatory for our Public Night on Saturday, October ...
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!)

🌌 Join us for Public SFA Observatory Night! 🔭📍 SFA Observatory📅 Saturday, April 26, 2025🕣 8:30 PMCome spend an evening u...
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! 🌙

It looks like the skies will be too cloudy to see objects with a telescope on Saturday night at the SFA Observatory. Ho...
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!

Join us for our next public night at the observatory on Friday, November 1, starting at 7:30 pm! Come marvel at the wond...
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

The first public viewing of the fall season will on Saturday, September 28 at 8 pm. This will include telescope viewings...
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.

03/25/2024

A solar eclipse is the only time we can see the outer atmosphere of the sun, the corona.

03/25/2024

Two weeks from today!

We are one month out from the great Solar Eclipse of 2024! On April 8, the moon will move in front of the sun completely...
03/08/2024

We are one month out from the great Solar Eclipse of 2024! On April 8, the moon will move in front of the sun completely along the path of totality, bring this astronomical phenomenon to our neck of the woods.

Nacogdoches is just outside of the path of totality, and the moon will cover 97% of the sun at maximum at 1:44 PM that day. From personal experience, it is worth traveling if you are able to totality (and hopefully the clouds hold off on that day!) If you are not able, you can experience the near-totality event in town!

The SFA Observatory is supporting the Nacogdoches Library event at Festival Park on that day. There will be eclipse glasses available and other related activities. The event details are available on the library page and shared here as well.

Address

County Road 124
Nacogdoches, TX
75965

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