Explore the Cosmos: Visit Chattanooga’s Clarence T. Jones Observatory
If the Artemis missions have ignited your passion for the moon, Brainerd Road is your destination for a closer look. While baby boomers witnessed astronauts walking on the moon and Gen Xers grew up with space shuttle launches, many millennials view moon landings as ancient history—the shuttle program often marked by its tragedies rather than its triumphs.
However, we’re in the midst of a space renaissance. NASA is returning to the moon, planning to establish a base by 2032, and SpaceX has made rocket launches more routine than ever. With this renewed interest, many young individuals are looking up at the stars with curiosity.
After the Artemis II mission, conversations with friends revealed a shared excitement about space. Many expressed a lifelong interest but didn’t know where to start. Interestingly, a recurring theme was the nostalgia tied to a parent or grandparent’s telescope. While the previous generation was attuned to the cosmos, few of my friends had ever looked through a telescope as adults. I suggested they visit a hidden gem in our own community: the Clarence T. Jones Observatory, located behind Brainerd United Methodist Church. Their surprised reactions typically included, “There’s an observatory and planetarium in Chattanooga? And it’s free?”
Indeed, it is. Established in 1938 with funding from the Public Works Administration, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s observatory has been a gateway to the skies for generations.
During a visit last fall, I filmed a tour for Astronomy Magazine and witnessed the dedication that keeps the observatory thriving. Director Steven Kline, Associate Director Amy Brock-Hon, and Kevin Hon, president of the Barnard Astronomical Society, provided an insightful experience, including a close look at the 20.5-inch telescope and a private planetarium show.
The best part? They open their doors to the public. Most Sunday evenings during the school year, the observatory hosts free Star Parties, featuring lectures, a planetarium show, and stargazing. Although the main telescope is currently under restoration, club members often set up their telescopes for visitors to enjoy.
So, if Artemis II sparked your interest in space, a visit to Chattanooga’s best-kept secret might just be the perfect next step.
If You Go:
The observatory is located at 10 N. Tuxedo Ave. Use the upper parking lot behind Brainerd United Methodist Church. For more details, check UTC’s website.
Upcoming Sky Event: Jupiter’s Disappearance
Don’t miss one of the year’s biggest astronomical events! Early Tuesday morning, the crescent moon will pass directly in front of Jupiter, concealing the planet for about an hour in an event known as an occultation.
From Chattanooga, Jupiter will slip behind the moon at 4:16 a.m. Look for the moon approximately 20 degrees above the eastern horizon. The planet will reappear at 5:17 a.m., by which time the moon will be higher in the sky. Both binoculars and a telescope will help you witness Jupiter’s disappearance, but the reappearance will be visible to the naked eye.
Brooks Mendenhall is a staff writer at Astronomy Magazine based in Chattanooga. Contact him at brooks.mendenhall@firecrown.com.
