The Astronomy Group within the Department of Physics and Astronomy holds monthly Public Nights. All are welcome to come view the sky through our facilities, on campus and off. Admission to Public Nights is free. Events may be cancelled in case of bad weather/cloudy conditions.
Schedule
Our schedule shows the dates for the scheduled Public Nights this semester, the starting times for the programs, and the speakers. Please check weather forecasts before planning your trip. Weather information specifically tailored to astronomical observing is available in the clear sky clock for Tuscaloosa generated using forecasts from the Canadian Meteorology Centre.
Spring 2026
| Date | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Jan 22 | CANCELLED DUE TO CLOUDS | ||
| Monday, Feb 23 | 6:00pm – 6:30pm 6:30pm – 8:30pm | Gallalee Hall Room 227 GH Rooftop Observatory | Talk “Galactic Time Machines: Probing Open Clusters in Galaxy Simulations to Uncover Sun-like Stars” with Dr. Binod Bhattarai Observing at the Gallalee Hall rooftop observatory with Dr. Marcos Santander |
| Thursday, Mar 12 | 8:00pm -10:00pm | Moundville Archaeological Park | Deep sky observing with Dr. Dean Townsley |
| Tuesday, Mar 31 | 7:30pm – 8:00pm 8:00pm – 10:00pm | Gallalee Hall Room 227 GH Rooftop Observatory | Talk “From the Big Bang to You: Exploring Where the Elements That Built Us Came From” with Nethra Rajavel Observing at the Gallalee Hall rooftop observatory with Dr. Jeremy Bailin |
| Friday, Apr 24 | CANCELLED DUE TO CLOUDS |
Please also see more information below.
Past Public Nights
Virtual public nights during the COVID-19 pandemic
During the pandemic under our limited schedule, Dr. Bill Keel worked with UA Astronomers and others to produce virtual public night videos that use the same telescope as our normal on-campus public nights.
- Introduction to the UA observatory
- Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA) Observatories
- Radio Astronomy and the Green Bank Telescope
- Crimson Dragon
- Surface and Geology of the Moon
- Giants of Summer
- The Lives of Stars
- Mars in 2020
Locations and Equipment
Most on-campus sessions use the 16-inch research-grade reflector (installed in January 2005) in the dome on top of Gallalee Hall, located at the northeast corner of University Blvd. and Hackberry Drive.
Our deep-sky observing sessions usually use the 20-inch “Big Little Telescope” donated to the department. The telescope is set up in the small parking strip near the main mounds (see location on google maps or locator map within the park ). The park does not charge for after-hours admission for these programs.
Groups
Please call the department office at (205) 348-5050 to give us advance warning if you are bringing a large group, so we may plan accordingly.
Parking
During the fall football season, parking restrictions on campus go into effect on the evenings before home football games, including the Gallalee Hall parking lot. All vehicles must be out of that parking lot by 6 a.m. Saturday or they will be towed at their owners’ expense.
Parking is particularly tight on homecoming weekend. Be prepared to park at a lot that is several blocks or more from Gallalee Hall. The UA CrimsonRide transit system operates late into the night.
At Moundville Archaeological Park, parking is available near our observing site just off the park loop road. Refer to this google maps link for the location, or if you are familiar with the park you can find the location on this locator map showing buildings and the spot where we set up our telescope.
For More Information
For more information, call the department office at (205) 348-5050 and ask for the faculty member in charge of the date in question. To receive advance notice of events as they are scheduled, email Dona O’Neal and ask to be added to our email list.
For additional skygazing opportunities in the Birmingham area, please see the Birmingham Astronomical Society schedule. Weather information specifically tailored to astronomical observing is available in the clear sky clock for Tuscaloosa generated using forecasts from the Canadian Meteorology Centre.