The Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory (formerly the Adirondack Public Observatory) has been awarded a grant of $125,000 by Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family Foundation to support the Campaign for the AstroScience Center museum and planetarium.

Situated on four acres in Tupper Lake, the Adirondack Sky Center benefits from some of the darkest and clearest skies east of the Mississippi River, yet in a highly accessible region. Interest from across the northeast as well as the local community has spurred the organization to aim to establish a permanent Adirondack center for astronomy and space science, the AstroScience Center. Complementing the Wild Center natural history museum, it’s hoped the Adirondack Sky Center will greatly expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning in the region, while also strengthening the appeal of the Adirondacks as a meaningful travel destination.

The AstroScience Center museum, which organizers anticipate will open in five years, is the second building being constructed to comprise the Adirondack Sky Center campus on Big Wolf Road. The Observatory was completed in 2013, the Learning Lean-to will be completed this year, and a third building housing a 24-inch reflecting Research Telescope will cap the project.  The science center is expected to provide astronomy-related experiences for visitors, day or night, in clear or cloudy weather, including a Planetarium, Lecture Hall, Interactive Classroom, and more.

A limited range of fun, hands-on educational activities are now offered year-round in the Sky Center Activity Room at the organization’s Office and Gift Shop, 36 High Street in Tupper Lake, and stargazing at the Observatory.

Individuals can contribute to the project through Adirondack Sky Center’s website, or by calling (518) 359-3538.

Illustration of Adirondack Sky Center provided.