The Goldendale Observatory facility is situated on a hilltop 2,100 feet (640 m) above sea level, located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Goldendale and approximately 2 hours east of Portland, OR. The park, with its large public telescope, has attracted hundreds of thousands of sky-watchers since its dedication in 1973. Major renovations and upgrades were finished in 2020, featuring a larger visitor center and a new telescope. The park offers daytime solar viewing and magnificent views of the universe at night.
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.