For those who want to get up close and personal with Central Oregon’s night sky, Pine Mountain Observatory is the place to be. Located 34 miles southeast of Bend, the observatory is perched atop a mountain at an elevation of 6,300 feet; an ideal place to make the most of the dark skies that the Eastern Oregon high desert provides. The observatory is operated by the University of Oregon Department of Physics, and while its primary function is research and other astronomical observations, it embraces education at all levels and for all sectors. The observatory is open to the public on Friday and Saturday nights from Memorial Day weekend through the last weekend in September. Private group and organization tours may be available during the week by advance appointment, but most tour times are limited to school and other educational groups. All tours, mid-week and weekend, are conducted by professional observatory staff and volunteer amateur astronomers who are eager to share their knowledge and answer your questions. The observatory also conducts a research science camp during the summer, bringing astronomers and students from all around the Western U.S. to teach and participate in programs, all to expand people’s love for and understanding of the skies above them.