An Observatory Partnership

The Montauk Observatory and the Ross School have come together to build a permanent astronomy observation space on the Upper School campus in East Hampton, the two entities have announced.

The observatory will house a 20-inch Meade telescope, similar to those used at universities and community observatories around the world. While priority use of the telescope will be given to teachers and industry professionals, members of the public will have access to observation time.

“When we began the Montauk Observatory 10 years ago, we had two goals: to host [astronomy events] on the South Fork for people of all ages, and to build a permanent observatory to give students and professionals access to the dark skies of the East End,” Terry Bienstock, president of the Montauk Observatory, said in a statement. “With the Ross School partnership, we will finally reach our second goal and house the largest professional telescope on Long Island.”

The observatory is expected to be a boon to Ross School students, whose science and history lessons will benefit from access to the telescope. Through the school’s Innovation Lab program, students will be able to conduct original scientific research using it. The Montauk Observatory will continue to host its public lecture series at the Ross Tennis Center, with each free event accompanied by guided observation sessions.

“Community and innovation are key tenets of the Ross School philosophy, so partnering with Montauk Observatory to create a permanent home for their telescope was a natural fit,” Courtney Sale Ross, the school’s founder, said in a statement. “Having the observatory on the Ross campus provides a great resource to our students and faculty, adding another layer through which students can interact with our integrated curriculum. We also hope that this addition will inspire the wider community to come onto campus and experience the opportunities at Ross.”