Visit the James & Barbara Moore Observatory located at Florida SouthWestern State College's beautiful Charlotte Campus, 26300 Airport Road, Punta Gorda.
For more information and highlights of special viewing sessions, please call the Observatory Information Line at (941) 637-3518.
- Observation sessions typically begin about 30-45 minutes after it is dark enough to see the stars and continue as long as stargazers linger. Prior to complete darkness, visitors can not be admitted into the observatory as the equipment needs to be setup and aligned with the stars each time but early arrivers are welcome to enjoy views of the lake and the scenery of the campus from the lakeside picnic tables.
- The public sessions are free and held at least once monthly from September through May, weather permitting.
Public Session Dates
2nd Friday of the Month:
- September 8, 2023
- October 13, 2023
- November 10, 2023
- December 8, 2023
- January 12, 2024
- February 9, 2024
- March 8, 2024
- April 12, 2024
- May 10, 2024
Extra openings are sometimes scheduled or dates are changed depending on celestial events. There are two special astronomical events occurring for this coming year and both are Solar Eclipses. The first is on Saturday, October 14, 2023, and the second is on Monday, April 8, 2024. From our location here in Florida, these will both be partial eclipses and we will plan to open the observatory for them.
For more information or special group openings, call (941) 637-5652.