This place is located at the Folsom Lake College. It is a nice place to see the stars and planets but still too much urban light to see the milky way.There were several people there to see the NEOWISE comet, there is a section for each person. Some had expensive telescopes, others used binoculars, and people with cameras were there too.There is a short walk from the parking lot. Do not use white light or flashlights, most use low power red or amber lights. White light will make everyone mad and will yell at you to turn it off because it is an interference.Awesome people who attend this place, very friendly and willing to help.A great place to take the family.I took off one star because there is a hill that can block the view if what you are trying to observe is too low to the horizon.It is out in the open, prepare accordingly for the weather and cool nights. Bring your own beverages to keep you hydrated and please remember to clean up after yourself.

I had no idea there was a working observatory nearby. Whata great find! There is an outside mini amphitheatre for use by the observatory for watching stars and planets. The backs of the amphitheatres bench are built at a 45°angle, so you wont hurt your neck. Nice! I posted the hours.

This is an amazing place to go. The docents are so knowledgeable and the stars and plants you get to see through telescopes are amazing. Highly recommend you go here!!

Ended up going here on Valentines day, but Im a low-key nerd and it was surprising really nice. The staff is very knowledgeable and were happy to answer any questions as well as letting us see stars, Planets, and any constellations we asked to look at (as long as they werent out of view). They had several different telescopes that range in distance and we both honestly had a great time.

Great place to get a view of the night sky. It was interesting to see Jupiter, Saturn, a dual star system among other things through the telescopes there. Fun place for kids to get curious about the universe. Good place to learn.

A very nice but small observatory that is open to the public for visitation.Very many friendly staff that talked with us and were knowledgeable about astronomy. I felt like I was getting a free lesson.The star-gazing area was fairly small but was fine for normal day activities.I think that this would be unbearable to go to during a big celestial event however.

Cant say enough good things about this place. 2$per car for parking now I believe but they are open every fri. sat. and sun. night (weather permitting) and are free!!!! they have z star theater EXTREMELY knowledgeable docents . NO FLASHLIGHTS ALLOWED. unless you have red or black light on it . they have a moon dial!

Great place for all ages. Docents are there to answer questions and set up the telescopes for some amazing view. The concrete seating area is a great place for pictures as well as quietly looking for planets

Great place to visit. For just the cost of parking, $2, you get to check out several different telescopes. We were able to see the moons and rings of Saturn, a few nebula and an entire galaxy. There was also a twenty minute live presentation showing different star consolation. The volunteers are knowledgeable and friendly.

If you want to know more about stars, Sun, Moon, Galaxy and Universe, go there and observe. You can take some worm blankets and drinks, have a wonderful billions stars evening.

This beautiful spot is a hidden gem ALL nearby should get to and enjoy. Free visits allow you to see the nearby planets and stars and the docents are so enthusiastic and helpful.My wife and I visited on Friday for our anniversary. From the parking lot, its a short walk up to where the observatory, the building, and the telescopes are set up. The sun sets much later this time of year, so we werent able to catch anything until about 8:30p. If youre visiting, be sure to plan accordingly for darkness (meaning bring a sweater and if necessary, a flashlight or a light app for your phone).For the first time ever, my wife and I got to see Jupiter and Saturn. The 4 telescopes we used were all rather high-powered so we saw the planets with EXCELLENT detail, including 4 of Jupiters moons.I can not wait to return. Even though our visit was short, the area is beautiful and the experience is worth the drive up from Sacramento.

Hidden gem in the area. Great place to learn and remind us about where we are in space. Check online for cancellation due to weather prior to heading out.

This is such an awesome spot. We had the opportunity to see the International Space Station(ISS) fly by. Fun Fact: The ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes! Additionally, we were able to look through the telescopes to see Jupiter, Saturn, and a binary star system. It was also dark and clear enough to see the Milky Way! The volunteers(docents) were knowledgeable and down to earth. Definitely recommend for anyone in the area!

Great place to take in the cosmos. Everyone there was really nice and informative. Will be back again.

Very informative and cool telescopes. You can see all the constalations an planets when they are above.

Great experience.. I havent seen anything in my life like solar system, Galaxy and planets, stars, satellites passing by and its wonderful and good for kids and families for educational.

Amazing experience! I took my 7 year old son and he loved actually seeing everything. Weve gone a couple times and Ive always found the docents to be extremely knowledgeable and patient. I love that something like this is so close. There is a parking fee of about $2 but the rest is free.

Awesome place to do some star gazing and learn something new. Definitely a family place too to bring the little ones. Glad to see this is in our backyard w/ knowledgeable people passionate about astronomy too.

OMG, this is a free activity, and extremely fascinating. Ive never done anything like this before, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I left there mesmerized. Oh I almost forgot, you have to pay $2 to park. What a great place to take the family, or a romantic evening for two. Seriously, check out out!

The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. A must see if youre in the area.

I took my whole family and a few friends. 3 telescopes to see 3 different plants.The kids had a blast.All there questions were answered by the staff. THANK YOUWe will return again.

I had a great time learning about our universe. The volunteers were super!

This a great place to take the family. Fun and informative. And to top it off, inexpensive.

You get to explore our universe and learn a lot of cool facts all for free.

Great place to take the family!! Docents take you on an adventure of our universe! Alot of fun and many lessons learned. Highly recommended.

I saw the best view of Saturn and the rings I have ever seen. It was Amazing!

Great people help show you the universe outside our world. Kid friendly in my experience but keep in mind telescopes!

We saw the rings of Saturn and moons of Jupiter. Amazing place

Nice and quiet. Not a lot of light pollution. 10/10

Cool place to look up.

It was good to know about stars. It was wonderful to see and know about 4 planet line up. Kudos to all the volunteers for detailing.

Wow!!! It was amazing! We were able to see the rings on Saturn, amazing detail on the surface of the Moon, that Mars is red, watched the international space station zoom by and listened to a great presentation of the skies while gazing up from the reclining outdoor ampitheater. And its free!

I love star gazing. The observatory was great! The docents are very knowledgeable! On Fiday I was able to see Jupiter with its moons, Saturn and its rings, The Globular Cluster- Hercules, The Whirlpool Galaxy,The Summer Triangle,and so much more! It was awesome! Had a great night!

Stargazing at Folsom Lake College/El Dorado campus observatory. Very nice night.

A nice place to visit with kids too, they have much to learn

Just came here for the first time! This place is amazing!!!!!

Great way to spend an evening with kids

I cant believe I didnt know about this place. It is a wonderful place to bring the family and learn so much. We went to see the eclipse here and it was sooo good. We are definitely coming back. It is a hidden treasure. More people need to know about this place. And its free!!

Great friendly people and enthusiasts allowing the public to learn and see the night sky. Small but considering that it is free, not much to complain about. I bring my own small telescope too and people all share in the knowledge. They have a computer processing the image for the 2 bigger telescopes.

Got to see Jupiter and Saturn with rings visible through telescopes. Also a galaxy.

Awesome place must go see

Just found out this was here! Great docents. plenty of useful info. Will be returning.

Great place to see the stars

Was a really cool place to check out parts of the solar system. People that work here are very knowledgeable very nice. Great place to take your pre teens and teenagers not to interesting for little guys really unless they are into the stars and solar systems.

Great place. The volunteers were helpful and knowledgeable. The telescopes are amazing.

Great location, very well maintained and cared for. Educational and fun!

What an awesome hidden gem! So glad we took our kids here to star gaze.

Great location.

Only open Friday & Saturday till noon but well worth the trip.

Very nice small observatory. The sky tour is great and very informative.

This is a great event for adults and kids in the Sacramento area. Show up at the start time so you can catch a presentation and guide through the constellations.

Very nice docents that will answer questions and really take time with you. Definitely a community gem!

For all those interested in Astronomy this is great place.

Cool place!

Not be What I expected.

Was a great day.

Bring the family up on summer evenings and be amazed at how clear the views of the moons and stars can be. The star tours are also really neat

Really enjoyed the experience despite not being able to look through the telescopes due to the humidity. Docents we’re knowledgeable and funny.

Great community resource with knowledgable, caring volunteers. I enjoyed the visit and hope everyone in the area visits this wonderful place. Give a donation to help keep them running the place.

Docents(the people that help you) are knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about astronomy. A great experience for the whole family.

Great equipment, well managed, always lots of fun

Amazing, a great place to take your young starcrazed afficionados, its free and open most of the year.

Amazing hidden gem in our community.

The best place and excellent information! !!

Like learning new stuff when I can.

A truly wonderful place to see the deep sky.

Excellent telescopes and plenty of opportunity to gaze at the stars and ask questions. Worth the visit.

Awesome stars

So much to learn

Awesome seeing Saturn!

The people there are nice.

Its free and educational

Such a gem to have in the community

Great place to visit!

Fun

Nice outing

Very interesting and fun

Very professional

Awesome

Love it!

Super Cool!!!!! You should go!

Great evening out!!

The facility is quite small, was expecting it to be bigger. But the telescopes are there for sure. It was kind of hard to find the place because you had to drive in all the way tot he gate and park and then walk uphill. But its worth it.

Wont show me where I wanted