Saturn, the Father of Jupiter 

Open Houses

The Spoutwood Farm Observatory hosts four Open Houses free to the public throughout the year.  To celebrate the arrival of each season, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, they take place on the Friday nearest to each equinox or solstice.  We commence about an hour before dark with a small, themed celebration, followed by a tour of the observatory and the Frodo Straw Bale Building, and a short seminar about the basics of observing the sky with a telescope.  If you own your own telescope, please feel free to bring it along!  Stargazing begins immediately at dark and lasts for a minimum of 2 hours; light refreshments are always available and complimentary.

Directions can be obtained from our "Directions" tab in the drop-down menu under 'Observatory' above.

The dates for 2012 Open Houses are:

 Vernal Equinox - Friday, March 23rd, 6 p.m.

Summer Solstice - Friday, June 22nd, 8:30 p.m.

Autumnal Equinox - Friday, September 21st, 6 p.m.

Winter Solstice - Friday, December 21st, 4:30 p.m.

All Open House events are free (donations graciously accepted). Private viewings are available by appoinment, please call 717-235-6610 or email inquires to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Inclement Weather Policy

An open house shall only be held if it is clear or partly cloudy out.  Cancellations may be rescheduled as tiem and weather permit; each Open House is scheduled for a Friday with a Saturday raindate. For your convenience, any weather-related information regarding a scheduled Open House shall be posted on our 'News' tab and on the Spoutwood Farm Center Facebook page by noon on the day of the event.

We are always open during Spoutwood Farm's two annual festivals, the May Day Fairie Festival and the Mother Earth Harvest Fair.  Come out for a visit and the spectacular views of the sun through our telescope's solar filters! Take a  tour of the observatory, or attend seminars about the history of astronomy, solar power, telescope basics, and more. Enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the Frodo Building or just stop by to say hello - we hope to see you there!

What you will see and learn about at the observatory:

Mars