This November 4 as we participate in Ohio Open Doors with our Walk-up Wednesdays, we are also celebrating the Cincinnati Observatory's birthday. Stop in to learn a bit of history, view through an historic 1845 telescope (if clear), and wish the observatory a very happy birthday!

The Cincinnati Observatory has a rich history dating back to November 9, 1843, when former U.S. President John Quincy Adams, at age 77, delivered a speech and laid the cornerstone atop Mount Adams. Since that founding, the Observatory has been dedicated to sharing astronomical views with Cincinnatians and visitors from around the world. Join us to celebrate almost 183 years of astronomical and historical significance with FREE access to our Mitchel telescope and grounds. Solar viewing will also be provided through our 180 year old Mitchel Telescope, weather permitting. Guests are welcome to stop by anytime from Noon-3pm. No reservations are required.

Weekly Public Program

Astronomy Evening at the Cincinnati Observatory is the perfect program to get acquainted with all of the offerings of your local observatory. Located in picturesque Mount Lookout on the East Side of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest one of its kind in the country that still uses its original telescope from 1845, and now you too will get to participate.

This 90 minute long, family-friendly program features an Astronomy themed presentation on the different things you can experience in the night sky. Hands-on tour of our 1845 Mitchel telescope and viewing through the telescope takes place during the second part of the evening (weather permitting).

Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, FREE For Members.  

Reservations required.  Space is limited.

Interstellar Adventures is a Saturday evening program at the Cincinnati Observatory, geared for families with children 5-12 years old. The evening includes adventures that take you around the Observatory and around the Cosmos. Pizza is included in the price of admission. We will view through the telescopes (if clear). Each adventure is around a different space-related theme.

Themes:   Saturn

Tickets: $15/adult and $10/child 

Co-presenters Dr. Wes Ryle and Mandy Askins

Before he was a general, Ormsby Mitchel was the astronomer who founded the Cincinnati Observatory in 1843. This Veterans Day, trace his path from West Point to the Civil War, including the Huntsville campaign, and see how a scientist’s habits shaped a soldier’s career. Along the way, you’ll learn how the man who mapped the heavens ended up commanding troops, and what his story says about service and curiosity. 

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members $25/class

Members $20/class

Student (with valid ID) $10/class

Veterans or Active Military Free

Tickets: $15/adult, $7/child, FREE for Observatory Members

Mercury is the least-visited planet in the inner solar system, and a joint European-Japanese mission is about to change that. Learn why getting there is so hard, what BepiColombo hopes to find, and why the smallest planet is so strange. The mission has spent years looping through the inner solar system to slow down enough to be captured, and it’s about to split into two orbiters. The class falls just before the planned orbit insertion. 

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members $25/class

Members $20/class

Student (with valid ID) $10/class

Image credit: NASA

Get ready for an out-of-this-world evening of sparkle, science, and serious fun! Our Girls' Night Out is a cosmic adventure for young girls and their favorite grown-ups—dads, moms, aunts, grandmas, mentors—designed to make unforgettable memories.

Prepare for an evening packed with dazzling activities that will ignite imaginations and inspire future stars:

• Telescope Viewing (Weather permitting, specialized equipment provided.)

• STEM Activities

• Games

This is the perfect opportunity for bonding, unleashing inner sparkle, and exploring the universe together. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Tickets: $15/adult + 1 child, $5/additional child

This special program offers those seeking to learn more about the Observatory’s history a detailed, in-depth presentation and tour at Noon or 2pm (select time upon registering). You'll also discover the Observatory’s role in early Cincinnati history, weather forecasting and the original telescope that started it all,  as well as visit our interactive Sundial, original 1843 cornerstone, and more! Guests can enjoy the many snapshots from our 180+ year history and a glimpse into our future. The program will last approximately one hour with plenty of time for questions! Perfect for local history, astronomy and science buffs ages 12 and up.

Space is limited. Advanced reservations are recommended. Please select Noon or 2pm when registering.

Tickets: General Admission $10 (recommended for kids 12+), $5/seniors and veterans, FREE for Observatory members

In 2022, NASA slammed a spacecraft into an asteroid on purpose as part of the DART mission. Now Europe’s Hera mission arrives to survey the damage. The impact changed the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos by more than half an hour, and Hera will measure its size, mass, and the crater to turn a one-time test into a repeatable defense strategy. Find out what DART did, what we still don’t know, and how we might one day protect Earth.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background.

Tickets:

Non-members - $25/class

Members - $20/class

Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Image credit: NASA

Come and paint with us at the Cincinnati Observatory!

Join us for a fun and creative night out where we'll learn how to paint a beautiful space-related masterpiece. You don't need any experience to join - each step of the painting process will be guided by Sarah Hellmann from Art for All People. Plus, enjoy delicious light bites while creating your beautiful artwork. The evening will end with  viewing through our historic telescope (if clear).

The cost is $60 per person and includes all your supplies, food, and drinks. The cost of the ticket benefits Art for All People and the Cincinnati Observatory. Recommended for ages 16+.

Meet our artist for the evening, Sarah Hellmann!
Sarah Hellmann is an author, artist, and speaker. After earning her PhD from the University of Cincinnati, she founded the nonprofit, Art for All People, a ministry that brings the arts to those effected by incarceration, addiction, mental illness, human trafficking, and veterans who suffer from PTSD. Sarah is a life-long artist. Her mission is to encourage others to use their inherent creativity toward healing and empowerment. Sarah recently published her book, Broken-Down Jalopies and Other Short Stories: Perspective Changes Everything. Available on Amazon.

Orion is winter’s most recognizable constellation, and it’s packed with science: a stellar nursery, a famously unpredictable red supergiant, and stories from many cultures. Learn how to read the Hunter and what to point a telescope at this winter.

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background. Classes will be held in Mitchel (smaller) building.

Tickets: Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class

Apollo 17’s astronauts left the Moon in December 1972, and in April 2026 Artemis II carried a crew around it. Compare the missions, the technology, and the goals, and look at what comes next for humans on the Moon. We’ll look at what Artemis II tested, what had to change since the Apollo era, and what still has to happen before astronauts land again. 

Class level: Introductory - This class is recommended for guests of any background. Classes will be held in Mitchel (smaller) building.

Tickets: Non-members - $25/class, Members - $20/class, Student (with valid ID) - $10/class