When people think of stargazing, the images that come to mind are often of remote observatories located on barren cliffs in the dark with twinkling stars above. Searching the heavens has an aura of quiet about it, a solace that you can’t achieve if you are living in the middle of the city. And nobody thinks of astronomy when they think of one of the most visited places in Washington, D.C: the grassy National Mall, located between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol building.

But you might be surprised. In 2009, the National Air and Space opened the Public Observatory Project (POP) in honor of the International Year of Astronomy. Smaller than most people might expect an observatory to be, the building holds a 16-inch, 3,000-pound telescope, which was originally located at Harvard-Smithsonian's Oak Ridge Observatory in Massachusetts. Located on the National Mall Building’s east terrace, the observatory’s viewing hours are during the daytime, specifically between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors are able to see the moon, sun, and the planets when the weather is clear. In addition, there are often smaller telescopes located outside the observatory that also give visitors a view of the stars above.

Educating the public on the wonders of astronomy is one of the many missions of the NASM. “The National Air and Space Museum’s mission is to educate and inspire: People come to the museum to feel a personal connection with important artifacts,” said Gen. J.R. “Jack” Dailey, Director of the National Air and Space Museum, when the POP was opened to the public. “Looking directly at the sun, moon, planets and stars with a telescope will enable visitors to experience this personal connection with the visible sky and the universe.”

But, as there is no guarantee of clear weather on any given day, the NASM has another way to educate visitors about the wonders of the galaxy. Located on the second floor of the National Mall building, the Einstein Planetarium allows visitors, in around 20 minutes or so, to take a high-tech tour of the galaxy with comfortable seating and state of the art digital sound.

Learn more about the Public Observatory Project at NASM.