Looking for fun and cheap things to do with the kids is a hobby of mine. Since we started homeschooling the kids, I look for every opportunity that I can find to give them a broader education. One weekend, while we were visiting family in Arizona, we learned about the desert and animals at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona. Another weekend we took a day trip to visit the giant Redwoods at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Often, we go to the local state park and hike and learn about geology and native wildlife in our area.
So, it was no surprise that when my husband and I were discussing fostering the kids’ curiosity about our solar system, that I would find one of the most hidden gems in our area. Thanks to Google and THIS article, I was made aware of this super cool (and ironically quite unknown) spot just a hop, skip, and a jump from Sacramento, CA.
The Community Observatory
The Community Observatory is located in the foothills of El Dorado County on the Folsom Lake College campus, in Placerville, California. At 1,600 ft. elevation, this isolated area is away from the noise and lights of the city leaving a perfectly quiet location for a relaxing evening of stargazing and fun with the family.
Opened in 2006 through the time and efforts of the Rotary Club of Cameron Park, the Community Observatory offers a free opportunity to discover the night sky with topnotch amateur astronomy facilities guided and run by knowledgeable docents. A docent, we learned, is a person who acts as a voluntary guide in a museum, gallery, zoo, or (in our case) observatory.
Our Fun Night
We visited the Community Observatory on a warm and clear late-June evening. The observatory opened just after the official sunset, but we still had a few minutes until the sun was down enough that we could really see the stars. So, we walked around and read about all the different planets in our solar system and even spent a few minutes pointing out the many wildlife sounds we could hear, like frogs croaking, crickets chirping, and even some cow mooing off in the distance.
As the sky started to get darker, some of the first “objects” we could see in the summer sky were Mars and Venus. One of the cool things about the Community Observatory is that they offer visitors the rare and FREE opportunity to view the stars, planets, and moon with their 17-inch and 14-inch reflecting telescopes. So, we all headed over to the telescopes to get up close and personal with these planets. The docents were very friendly and informative, helping us with telescope viewing and giving us great information about each planet.
When the night sky got really dark, we headed outside to the G. Arthur Cort Sky Theater where we could sit reclined and view and learn more about the night sky from our awesome docent, Frank. He was so knowledgeable and pointed out the stars Arcturus, Regulus, and Polaris, as well as many constellations in the night sky. He showed us the summer triangle—a grouping of the stars Deneb, Vega, and Altair that is only seen during the summer months. We even got to observe multiple satellites in orbit as well as one VERY bright shooting star!
This was a truly unforgettable experience for our family in the foothills of El Dorado County. So, if you have a little astronomer in the making or you just want to have a relaxing and educational evening with the family, check out The Community Observatory in Placerville.
Tips for an Enjoyable Visit
- Admission is free; however parking at the college is $2.
- The Observatory is fully accessible for disabled visitors.
- The Observatory is open during the summer and winter months when it’s not cloudy, rainy, or too humid.
- Check the website an hour before the event to confirm they’re open.
- Dress for the weather as the observatory doesn’t have heating or air conditioning.
- Bring extra layers (even in the summer) just to be safe 😊.
- During the summer months, be sure to use mosquito repellant spray.
- You can see plenty of stars with the naked eye but using a pair of binoculars is game-changing.
- Download a astronomy app like SkyView® Lite to help kids easily find constellations, planets, and stars.
- Restrooms are available on site.
For more information or to get directions, please visit The Community Observatory website HERE.
