Hidden Mountain Observatory is located in the mountains of East Tennessee with Bortal 4 skies. When clear skies prevail, the brightness of objects in the dark night sky is breathtaking with the Milky Way stretched out overhead during the spring, summer, and fall. While "seeing" conditions can vary greatly, due to various ever changing climatic factors, in general, on a good, clear night you can see star clusters, the Andromeda Galaxy, and other celestial wonders with the unaided eye.
Hidden Mountain Observatory's Main Telescope, Meade LX850 14" SCT
Currently, the observatory is only open for private parties as we are working toward building facilities which will allow us to present educational programs to the general public. However, for more information on planning a visit with your group, reservation pricing with group rates, and scheduling, please see the links in the menu at the top of this page. You will find links to all of this and where you may also safely and securely schedule your observatory star party, or group function online up to one year in advance.
Have your own equipment, but lack a good, dark sky site to take full advantage of your optics? Gather your friends together and plan a star party. An unforgettable evening of mutual indulgence of a shared passion for the night sky. We have some of the darkest skies and brightest stars east of the Mississippi River. Send a text to (423) 743-9255 for availability information and start planning now for your evening out under the stars!!!
Hidden Mountain Observatory South Facing Horizon, Guest Telescope Setup Area
Also, if you would like to show your support and become a "Friend of Hidden Mountain Observatory", please join our Astronomy club, Hidden Mountain Astronomical Society (HMAS)", dedicated to like-minded individuals, all mutually fascinated by the night sky and interested in the furtherance of our understanding and appreciation of the Heavens above. For further information on HMAS, or to join our growing community of Astronomy enthusiasts, click here.
Hidden Mountain Observatory is a privately funded observatory on private property made possible with funding from Appalachian GhostWalks Ghost History and Bigfoot Adventure Tours. We present fun and educational star parties with tours of the night sky which can be planned as a stand alone event, or can be combined with various other tours and activities. To learn more about Appalachian GhostWalks ghost, history, UFO, and Bigfoot adventure tours, haunted vacations, and other wonderful party options, click here to visit the website.
Finally, it is our prayer and hope that this work will be a blessing to all who behold it and participate in our various educational endeavors, inspired by the beauty of the heaven's above, giving glory to the Creator who made the stars and calls them by name! God's blessings to you and yours!!
Photos of Hidden Mountain Observatory
Completed in December of 2023, the Observatory telescope building as well as the observation and runway platforms were finished! Here are some of those pictures. We hope to add a dome and a pier for a more permanent housing for the observatory's main telescope at a later time, as funding and resources become available by way of our private star parties and group functions.
The first photo is of our beautiful new Telescope purchased for the Observatory. It is an LX850 fourteen inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain on a German equitorial mount with computerized guidance using Starlock technology. We will soon be posting beautiful astrographs of the night sky!
Click on each thumbnail to enlarge the image!! Enjoy!!!
