The Clay Center Observatory, on the campus of Dexter Southfield School (20 Newton Street in Brookline; 5th floor), holds Public Telescope Nights on most Tuesdays in the spring and fall, from 8PM to 9PM.  This fall, they’ll go from September 13 through November 29.  Register in advance.  These events are canceled if weather is rainy or overcast:  Call 617-454-2795 one hour before the event for a recorded message.  The Clay Center offers a range of Outreach Programs for community groups.  Check the Center’s calendar for future events.

The observatory contains a 25-inch telescope with optically perfect mirrors — similar in optical design to the Hubble Space Telescope.  It’s protected by two airlocks, a dome powered by solar cells and wind turbine, and its own foundation that is completely isolated from the foundation of the surrounding building.  The telescope and dome are computerized and can be operated through the Internet by researchers anywhere in the world.