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Frogner, Norway

The University Observatory (Observatoriet)

History, science or architecture fans will love this hidden gem in Oslo.
Saint Andrews, Scotland

Gregory's Meridian Line

Scotland's claim to the prime meridian was laid 200 years prior to the one in Greenwich.
Wichita, Kansas

Stonehenge Jr.

This sculpture by a local artist is designed to celebrate the first day of each new season.
Athina, Greece

Meton's Observatory

The site where the summer solstice helped ancient Greeks sync the lunar and solar calendars.
Enghien, Belgium

Seven Stars Pavilion

A 17th-century heptagonal pavilion that was used for stargazing.
La Palma, Spain

Ojos al Cielo

This astronomical visitor center is a wonderful mixture of science and art.
Tenerife, Spain

Guajara Observatory

The ruins of the first mountaintop observatory are just a hike away.
Anderson, Indiana

The Great Mound

Indiana’s largest prehistoric earthwork, aligned with the solstices.
Richmond Hill, Ontario

David Dunlap Observatory

This little-known telescope was the world’s second largest when it was built in 1935.
The <em>Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam</em> bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe 1909-11
astronomy

The Bejewled ‘Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam’ at the Bottom of the Ocean

This luxurious edition of the Persian poetry collection went down with the Titanic in 1912.
The Podcast Team August 7, 2025
Richland, Washington

LIGO Hanford Observatory

One of two observatories in the U.S. that routinely detect gravitational waves.
Mount Hamilton, California

James Lick’s Grave

A 19th-century California philanthropist is entombed beneath the telescope he funded.
Chisinau, Moldova

Abandoned Observatory of the Pioneer Palace

Once built to inspire young Soviet minds through astronomy, this dome now stands as a quiet relic of a vanished era.
astronomy

How to Take the Ultimate American Stargazing Road Trip

Head out West for dark skies for a Milky Way so bright it casts a shadow.
Rebecca Boyle June 17, 2025
Perhaps due to Japan's temperate climate, the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu is more gentle and benevolent than some other sun deities.
space exploration

How Can Myths Help Us Understand the Stars? AO Wants to Know.

Astrophysicist and folklorist Moiya McTier teaches science through storytelling.
Andrew Coletti March 20, 2025
An artist's rendering of NASA's Europa Clipper passing over the ice-covered moon Europa as it orbits Jupiter. The spacecraft is scheduled to reach Jupiter in 2030.
science

How Many Other Oceans Exist in Our Solar System?

Some of the moons orbiting Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus may hide deep saltwater expanses beneath their icy crusts.
Robin George Andrews March 18, 2025
The walls of the Octagon Earthworks in Heath, Ohio, form an enclosure large enough to fit four Roman Colosseums.
astronomy

These 2,000-Year-Old Mounds Trace the Path of the Moon

After spending the last century as a golf course, the Octagon Earthworks are now protected—and celebrated—for their ancient Native American origins.
Olivia Young March 5, 2025
Hat Creek, California

Hat Creek Radio Observatory

The first radio telescope dedicated to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.