Three College Observatory will be open to the public on six nights between February and June, providing an opportunity to view the solar system through one of the largest telescopes in the Southeast.

The observatory will be open at 7 p.m. Feb. 11; 8 p.m. March 12; 8:30 p.m. April 8, May 7 and May 13; and 9 p.m. June 11. Admission is free, but reservations are required.

For tickets, a map or more information, write to Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170; or visit the observatory's webpage.

Opened in 1981, the observatory is operated by three colleges: UNCG, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Guilford College. Its 32-inch telescope is able to collect 26,000 times as much light as the human eye.

The observatory is located in Alamance County about eight miles south of Burlington, halfway between Greensboro and Chapel Hill. The drive from Greensboro takes roughly 45 minutes. Observing lasts about an hour and typically includes star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, double stars, planets and the moon.

On most nights, a decision about sky suitability and road conditions will be made at about 5:30 p.m. To learn if the observatory will be open, call the observatory answering service at (336) 334-3242.