Public Telescope Nights  (Reopens Sept. 9.)

The Clay Center Observatory is open one evening each week in the fall and spring terms for public astronomy viewing. Bring the entire family to look at the stars, planets, Moon, and more. Tour the Stars Court, lit by fiber optics, and walk among the classical constellations from 17th century drawings. Visit the Moon Court and Sun Court to learn about our solar system. Weigh yourself on the Moon and Mars with the Planetary Scales. (Weather permitting - see Public Astronomy web site each week for details.)

National Solar Tours Open House - Oct. 4, 2008  (Each fall!)

On the first Saturday of each October the Clay Center participates in the National Solar Tours and local Green Buildings Open House run by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). The top floor is opened to the public for tours of the solar and wind energy systems, tours of the amateur radio club, and viewing the sun safely through observatory solar telescopes (weather permitting). Often there are technicians on hand to discuss technical details with people who are interested in bringing such technology to their homes and schools. The next event date is Saturday, October 4, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Fall Weather Festival - Saturday - Oct. 25, 2008  (Each fall!)

Each fall the Clay Center partners with Blue Hill Weather Observatory to host the Southern New England Weather Conference and family Weather Festival. While the conference is geared to adults and college students, the Weather Festival is a fun family-style event with many hands-on activities for all ages. Past events have included planetarium weather shows, exhibits, demonstrations, model rocketry, kite-making, and stunt kite flying. Saturday, October 25, 2008, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Community and Adult Education  (Next classes - September)

The Clay Center has partnered with Brookline Adult and Community Education (BA&CE) to offer classes in Astronomy, Music Technology, and Amateur Radio to the greater Boston community. While most classes are for adults only (age 16+), some are designed to be parent-child shared learning experiences, such as the Amateur Radio classes. For information and registration, see the Clay Center Adult Ed web site or BA&CE at http://www.brooklineadulted.org/.

National Astronomy Day - May 9, 2009  (Each spring!)
 
Every spring the Clay Center teams up with the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston to celebrate National Astronomy Day, a fun family-oriented festival of science. Join us for solar observing in the afternoon and night viewing after dark. Other activities include planetarium shows, laser light shows, kite making and stunt kite demonstrations, model rocketry, guest lecturers including Galileo himself, exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on activities for all ages. Saturday, May 9, 2009. Free admission - see Astronomy Day web site for details.

Clay Center Lecture Series

Friends of the Clay Center receive invitations to occasional lectures held at the Clay Center.  Check the Calendar/News pages for the latest scheduled lecture.