University of Alberta Observatory

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University of Alberta Observatory

Admission to the Observatory is free of charge! We will open again on Thursday January 12, 2023. Follow us on Twitter:

The Department of Physics Astronomical Observatory at the University of Alberta's official feed! Announcements about when we're open, what's up in the sky and closures due to weather.

09/22/2026

Happy Autumn Equinox! The moment of equinox takes place at 6:05pm today in Edmonton.

09/20/2026

Teachers and leaders of youth groups (or other education-oriented groups) can book free visits to the Observatory! While there is no booking fee, you are responsible for arranging the transportation of your group to the University of Alberta.

You can book a visit using the form available on our website: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/physics/outreach/department-of-physics-astronomical-observatory/field-trips.html

Faculty of Science, University of Alberta

09/17/2026

The Moon! On Thursday evening join us from 8-9pm! We'll be viewing the Moon as well as some our favourite stars.

09/02/2026

We will begin our Thursday observing sessions on September 17. We will be open from 12-1pm on Thursdays to view the Sun. In September and October, we'll also be open from 8-9pm to view the stars, as well as planets and the Moon when possible.

Admission is free, and all are welcome.

08/25/2026

On the evening of Thursday, August 27, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Edmonton. The details for Edmonton are given below. Note that a telescope is not needed in order to view an eclipse. Since the Moon will be low in the sky, you will need to make sure that your Eastern horizon is not blocked by trees or buildings. The University of Alberta's observatory will not be open for this eclipse. However, the RASC Observatory located at Telus World of Science will be hosting a free, public viewing event. As always, the eclipse will only be visible if the sky is not cloudy.

Thursday, August 27 (Times in MDT for viewers in Edmonton)
8:25 pm - Moon rise in the ESE part of the sky.
8:33 pm - Partial Eclipse begins. The Moon will be very close to the horizon, which may make it difficult to find.
10:12 pm - Maximum Eclipse - The Moon will be 93% covered by the Earth's shadow. The Moon will be 13 degrees above the horizon in the SE part of the sky.
11:51 pm - Partial Eclipse Ends.

At maximum eclipse, the Moon will probably look similar to this photo taken by astrophysics graduate student Pavan Hebber during the November 2021 lunar eclipse.

08/07/2026

There's a nice halo around the sun today, caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere. To see it, cover the sun with your hand so you can see the sky around the sun.

08/02/2026

There will be a minor partial solar eclipse taking place on August 12. While we won't be holding a viewing event, you can go to TELUS World of Science - Edmonton to view the eclipse.

07/02/2026

Today the Sun is super spotty! We're open today from 12-1pm (Thursday July 2) for you to come take a look!

05/07/2026

Every Thursday the observatory is open from 12-1pm for solar observing! Visit us during this time to see the Sun through our safely filtered telescopes.

This is the Sun today on May 7, 2026.

Address

Department Of Physics
Edmonton, AB
T6G2E1

Opening Hours

12pm - 1pm

Website

http://www.ualberta.ca/~stars

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