Observatories

An observatory is a place where people study the stars, planets, and other things in space. Most observatories have big telescopes inside. They often have a round dome on top that opens up at night. Observatories help us learn about the universe.

Why on Mountains

Many observatories are built on top of high mountains. The air up there is thin and clear. That makes it easier to see stars sharply. Mountain tops are also far from city lights. Some famous observatories sit on top of volcanoes in Hawaii and Chile.

What Happens Inside

Inside an observatory, scientists called astronomers point telescopes at the sky. They take pictures of stars, planets, and galaxies. Computers help them study the images. Sometimes, observatories are open for visitors. Kids can go and look through a telescope to see the Moon or Saturn up close.

Fun Facts

• The oldest observatories were built thousands of years ago.
• Some observatories work with radio waves instead of light.
• Mauna Kea in Hawaii has more than a dozen telescopes on one mountain.

Did You Know?

Some observatories are in space, like the Hubble Space Telescope. They can see things even more clearly because there is no air to blur the view.