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, on a moonless, dark, and clear night you can see star clusters, the Andromeda Galaxy, and other celestial wonders with the unaided eye.
Hidden Mountain Observatory is dedicated to expanding public awareness of the universe and to furthering an appreciation of astronomy and space science education. In private programs for groups, the observatory uses state of the art EAA, or electronically assisted astronomy, like the new for 2025 "Pegasus Smart Eyepiece" to reveal the striking wonders of the cosmos.
Hidden Mountain Observatory's Main Telescope
Meade LX850 14" Schmidt-Cassegrain
All visits to the observatory site must be scheduled and reserved in advance. 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. Interested families and groups may schedule their observatory star party, or group function online up to one year in advance.
RESERVE ONLINE or Call (423) 743-9255
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 an unforgettable evening with your friends, family, or group out under the stars!!!
*** IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!!! ***
| PRIVATE PROPERTY: NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. |
Currently, the observatory is located on two acres of gated, private property with security cameras in use and there is no trespassing permitted. Although we are presently only open for private parties, we hope to upgrade our facilities in order to be able to present fun and educational programs to the general public in the future, perfect for adults and children of all ages. Your support is deeply needed and appreciated. Please continue reading further down this page to see how you can lend a hand and help make this dream a reality.
Hidden Mountain Observatory
South Facing Horizon & Guest Setup Area
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 heretofore a privately funded observatory 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.
It is our prayer and hope that this work will be a blessing to all, 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 first Observatory telescope control 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... Enjoy!
