Weekly Stargazing at the Melton Observatory:
Recent Media
- August 24, 2022 - "Webb telescope pictures impress space scientists, future user" (South Carolina Public Radio)
- July 15, 2022 - "South Carolina professor doing research from a million miles away" (WLTX News 19)
- June 15, 2022 - "From stargazing to public lectures, USC's Department of Physics and Astronomy offers many community outreach events"(The Daily Gamecock)
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February 2, 2022 - "Skywatch Forecast: Melton Observatory open weekly for the public (Feb 2-8)" (WLTX News 19)
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December 15, 2021 - "University of South Carolina grad group brings classical music to the modern masses" (Free Times - Post & Courier)
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November 17, 2021 - "Melton Observatory gives students opportunity to stargaze under Columbia night sky" (The Daily Gamecock)
- July 11, 2021 - "Stargazers: Venus and Mars to align this week" (WLTX News 19)
- December 17, 2020 - "Where to converge to observe The Great Conjunction in the Midlands" (WLTX News 19)
Past Livestreams
April 26, 2021
April 19, 2021
April 12, 2021
April 5, 2021
March 29, 2021
March 22, 2021
March 8, 2021
February 22, 2021
December 18, 2020 ("Great Conjunction" of Jupiter and Saturn)
November 23, 2020
November 16, 2020
November 2, 2020
October 19, 2020
October 12, 2020
October 5, 2020
July 13, 2020
May 11, 2020
April 27, 2020
April 20, 2020
April 13, 2020
April 6, 2020
April 3, 2020
History
The Melton Observatory is named for Dr. William Davis Melton, our university's president in the 1920s. Following his death in 1926, friend and alumnus, Edwin Seibels, donated $15,000 to build an observatory in Dr. Melton's name.
Visit
Our observatory is open to students and the public, for free, on Monday evenings between 9:00 pm and 11:00 pm. No appointments or reservations are required!
All age groups are welcome, but we ask that young children are kept under close supervision. Our equipment is sensitive and can be damaged easily.
Handicap Accessibility
The lower level of our observatory is wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, the upstairs and the restroom on the main level are not. We have installed a large monitor in the hallway of the main level so you can still enjoy views from the telescope even if you're not able to climb the stairs.
Evening Tours
During a night tour, your group will be given a tour of the building, dome and telescopes, and will observe a variety of objects such as the Moon, planets, stars, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and any other interesting objects currently in the sky depending on seeing conditions. Objects types, formation, size, distance, etc. are discussed. Contact us ahead of time to find out what objects will be visible to help plan your visit.