The Mt.A Gemini Observatory offers open nights and astronomical events near you
The universe is full of mystery and wonder, with dozens of astronomical marvels happening every day. It is easy to forget they are there. After all, life on Earth gets pretty busy with school, work, family, and friends. There is always something to do, or something important to catch up on. Most importantly, it is easy to forget when something special, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, is about to happen. This week, The Argosy seeks to remind you to look towards the sky and dream a little higher!
Did you know Mt.A has its very own astronomical observatory? It is called the Mount Allison Gemini Observatory (MAGO), also known by students as the Gemini Observatory. It is run by the Mt.A physics department, offering students a hands-on approach to studying astronomy. The MAGO is a dual dome observatory containing two identical 11-foot Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, providing high-resolution planetary viewing, lunar observation, and deep-sky imaging. The dual dome structure allows both telescopes to be used simultaneously or independently, making it possible for practical uses such as tracking multiple celestial objects at once, running parallel studies, or separating ongoing research from public activities. In other words, this setup allows the MAGO observatory to invite the general public as well as students to open houses, while still keeping up with their research and education goals!
The MAGO observatory provides the perfect star-gazing opportunity regardless of whether you are a student or local community member. The MAGO observatory hosts open observing nights on the first and third Thursday of each month, advertising it as the Mt.A Open Observatory Night (MOON). MOON nights are free of charge and open to the general public. The night runs from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The most recent MOON Night took place on March 5, just a few days after the recent total lunar eclipse on March 3. Their next open night is happening on March 19, followed by another on April 2. Since sky visibility is in part dependent on the weather, this date could be subject to change in the future. The best way to confirm if a MOON night is happening is by checking MAGO’s page on the Mt.A website on the day of the event. The observatory posts frequent updates and reschedules on this website for the MOON nights.
2026 is packed with astronomical events to keep skywatchers excited for the rest of the year! Coming up soon is the new moon on March 19, the same night the MAGO observatory is hosting a MOON night. This is followed by the spring equinox on March 20. This is when the Earth’s axis is not tilted towards or away from the sun, resulting in nearly equal amounts of daytime and nighttime worldwide. The equinox also happens to fall on the first official day of spring, acting as a beautiful reminder for students that winter is almost over, stay strong! Then, on April 2, the last MOON night of the semester will feature a Pink Moon. This is a popular term for spring’s first full moon and April’s full moon. Unfortunately, the event’s name does not come from a change in the moon’s colour, but instead from the wildflower Moss Phlox (phlox subulata), that blooms this time of year. Despite the name not reflecting the moon’s appearance, it does not make this moon any less important or magical. Because it is the last full moon of winter, or the first full moon of spring, tThe Pink Moon has often been an important astronomical ‘bookmark’ for various religions. For example in Christianity, the Pink Moon is also known as the Paschal Full Moon, with Easter always being celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.
Astronomical phenomena have played an important role in human history. The sky has been the backdrop to humanity’s stage play since the first dawn. It is easy to forget how much of our society is structured around things that have been happening for millions, if not billions of years. The sky is always there, even when life gets busy. While it is important to focus on life here on Earth, the MAGO observatory provides the Tantramar community with the unique opportunity to broaden their horizons, and look beyond our little sphere into something greater. The MAGO observatory is located on the corner between York Street and Salem Street on Mt.A campus. The staff and students are happy to answer questions and are available to host group visits during the day and night.
Visit their website: mta.ca/mago