Rosemary Hill Observatory, under the UF Astronomy department, was ranked No. 25 in a list of the top 35 college observatories in the nation on Collegerank.net.
According to the site, Rosemary Hill is a strong selling point for students looking to study stars, physics or related studies.
“It feels good, taking into account several things,” said Francisco Reyes, the director of UF teaching observatories. “I’m not sure how we got ranked but they were the ones who took into consideration everything we had in the observatory.”
The observatory, founded in 1967, includes two telescope domes, a dormitory and utility buildings, according to UF’s astronomy website.
The facility’s research labs provide high-tech connectivity and offer public observation and tours throughout the year.
Students get to use the facility instruments, which can be an important moment in their professional life if it’s their first time using the equipment, Reyes said.
Although Rosemary Hill is a private observatory, members of the Alachua County astronomy club visit the site several times throughout the year, said Andy Howell, the club president.
The strategic location of Rosemary Hill, 30 miles southwest of Gainesville, allows for clearer pictures of the night sky free from light pollution.
“It’s a useful teaching tool,” said R. “Deno” Stelter, a graduate student studying massive stars and NIR instrumentation.
“You get very good hands-on experience.”
Observatories were ranked in
four categories, which added up
to a total score between 0 and 100
- Number, size and technology of telescopes available
- Altitude
- Weather
- Light Pollution
Bonus points (between 0 and 10 points) were awarded for noteworthy aspects of the observatory.
Information courtesy of Collegerank.net
