Touring Big Bear Solar Observatory

BBSO is owned and operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology, since 1997, and as such it is private property.

Starting June 2025 and until Sept 30 2025, the Big Bear Solar Observatory will be offering tours in a limited capacity. Please note that the tour is not recommended for children under age of 5.

Tours will be on every other Thursday from 2pm to 3pm. Tours are FREE but donations are welcome.

Please understand that because of space limitations, tours must remain small and limited in size. All attending must be able to walk 1000 feet down and back on a gravel road as well as up and down three flights of stairs to access the telescope.

Booking a Tour

To reserve your tour you may use online form, contact the office at 909-866-5791 x 210, or email at .

Virtual Tours

Feel free to check out some of our panoramic virtual tours as well as videos below.

Visiting

The observatory is 1/2 mile west of the Discovery Center on Hwy 38/North Shore Drive. For more detailed directions click here .

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BBSO operation is supported by US NSF AGS-2309939 grant and New Jersey Institute of Technology. GST operation is partly supported by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and the Seoul National University.
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© BBSO/NJIT - Last modified: January 25, 2025 by Vasyl Yurchyshyn