Goldendale Observatory State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goldendale ObservatoryState Park Heritage Site |
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 Goldendale Observatory
State Park Heritage Site Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Goldendale, Klickitat, Washington, United States |
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Elevation | 2,106 ft (642 m) |
| Established | October 13, 1973 |
| Operator | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission |
| Website | Goldendale Observatory |
Goldendale Observatory State Park is a super cool place in Goldendale, Washington. It's famous for having a really big telescope that anyone can use! This state park is about 5 acres big and sits on top of a hill that's over 2,100 feet high.
To get there, you drive on a winding road through an oak forest. At the park, you'll find a picnic area, a learning center, an outdoor theater, and of course, the observatory itself.
The observatory has several telescopes. There are portable ones, a special telescope for looking at the sun, and the main telescope. This main telescope is a 24.5-inch reflector and is inside the South Dome. Lots of people, about 30,000 to 40,000, visit every year! The park was once an International Dark Sky Park, which means it's a great place to see stars because there's very little light pollution. It hopes to get this special status back soon after some new updates.
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How Goldendale Observatory Started
The main 24-inch telescope is why Goldendale Observatory exists today. Four amateur astronomers built this amazing telescope. Their names were M.W. McConnell, John Marshall, Don Conner, and O.W. VanderVelden.
They built it for Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. The college paid for all the materials needed to make the telescope. At the time, this was one of the biggest telescopes ever built by amateur astronomers!
However, once the telescope was ready, the college needed a better place for it. Vancouver and nearby Portland, Oregon, had too much light pollution. Also, the weather near the Cascade Mountains was often wet and cloudy. This made it hard to see the stars clearly.
Finding a New Home for the Telescope
While traveling, the telescope builders met a diner owner in Goldendale, Washington. This person was also on the city council. They suggested that the college donate the telescope to the town of Goldendale.
Everyone agreed! The college gave the telescope to Goldendale. The town promised to build an observatory to house it. A local group was formed to help plan and support the observatory.
The observatory was built about a mile north of the town center. People donated money, and the project also received a large grant. The design for Goldendale Observatory was inspired by the University of Washington's Manastash Ridge Observatory.
The main goal for Goldendale Observatory was to teach the public about science and space. The observatory was built over several months and officially opened on October 13, 1973. The south dome, which holds the big telescope, is 20 feet wide. The north dome is 10 feet wide.
A Big Event and State Park Status
The observatory became very important for a special event. On February 26, 1979, six years after it opened, a solar eclipse happened. The Goldendale Observatory was the official headquarters for the Astronomical League during this event. About 15,000 people came to Goldendale to watch the total eclipse!
In 1980, the state government took over the observatory. Before that, it was run by a local group. In 2014, the park was officially named a "state park heritage site."
Becoming a Dark Sky Park
In 2010, Goldendale Observatory State Park received a special honor. It became the sixth International Dark Sky Park in the world! It was also only the second state park in the United States to get this title. This means the park is a fantastic place to see the night sky because there's very little light pollution. This was made possible with the help of Steven Stout, who directed the observatory for 32 years, and the Friends of Goldendale Observatory group.
Updates and Future Plans
Unfortunately, in 2016, the park lost its Dark Sky Park status. This was because it didn't meet all the requirements anymore. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) removed the designation in 2017. This was the only time they had ever taken away the title from a site.
However, big changes were coming! Starting in 2013, a multi-stage project began to improve the observatory. The state government set aside $6 million for these upgrades. After a delay, the project finally got funding in February 2018.
In October 2018, the old observatory building was taken down. Only the south dome, which holds the 24-inch telescope, remained. In 2019, officials said they were working with the IDA on new lighting plans. They hope to apply for Dark Sky Park status again once the new observatory is finished. The upgraded observatory officially opened on February 28, 2020. However, it had to close less than a month later because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
