The Ralph Buice Jr. Observatory is located in northeastern Atlanta, Georgia, and run by the Fernbank Science Center. Situated at an altitude of 323 m (1060 feet), the observatory houses a 36-inch (0.9-meter) Cassegrain reflector beneath a 30-foot (10-meter) dome. This is one of the largest instruments dedicated to education and public viewing. Free public observations are offered every Thursday and Friday evening from 9 p.m. (or dark) until 10:30 p.m. (weather permitting). An astronomer is available to position the telescope and answer questions. A fellow star gazer reports: “Wonderful observatory. Informative astronomers.”
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.