See the Stars for Free Through Oakland’s Historic Telescopes
Climb the Oakland hills on Friday and Saturday nights to look through century-old observatory telescopes for free.
🔭 A Queue With a View
Every Friday and Saturday evening from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., Chabot’s outdoor observatory deck opens free to the public, with resident astronomers on hand to guide your viewing. You can line up to look through Leah, the original 8-inch Alvan Clark refractor from 1883, and Rachel, a 20-inch refractor added in 1915 that remains the largest refractor in the western United States regularly open for public viewing. Nearby, the 36-inch reflector Nellie sweeps 180 degrees of sky under a rolling roof. You rotate through the open domes at your own pace, so arriving alone costs you nothing but a place in line.
Free telescope viewing does not guarantee you will see celestial bodies. Observing depends entirely on local skies, and sudden fog, clouds, rain, or high humidity can shut down the telescopes without notice. When relative humidity exceeds 90 percent, Leah and Rachel close to protect their glass lenses, and Nellie shuts at 85 percent. Rain closes the deck completely. Check Chabot’s live weather station and webcam online before you head up the hill. The center also closes on major holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Free telescope access is limited strictly to the outdoor observatory deck during evening viewing hours; daytime admission to the science center's exhibits and planetarium requires separate paid museum tickets ($24 for adults, open Wednesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Parking in the adjacent three-level parking structure is free. Note that AC Transit Line 31 does not run to Chabot during nighttime viewing hours, as evening buses end earlier down the hill at Fruitvale and MacArthur Boulevard. Plan to drive or book a rideshare both up and back down.
