KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – This month we’ll focus on a local astronomy resource rather than on the night skies.

That resource is Taylor Observatory.

Taylor Observatory is located in Kelseyville at 5725 Oak Hills Lane (for a map, go here: www.bit.ly/1DQAorI ).

The observatory features a large 16-inch research grade telescope under a dome.

The telescope is controlled by a computer and can automatically locate more than 140,000 celestial objects!

Norton Planetarium is located in the facility, with a state-of-the-art star projector that provides realistic views of the night sky.

The projector also displays movies that cover the entire dome (full dome movies).

There is a classroom that can seat as many as 55 people. The classroom has a “smart board” that is used for the projection of images and Web pages.

The facility is open to the public on the fourth Saturday of the month between the hours of 8 and 11 p.m.

During a public event, there is a classroom presentation, followed by a planetarium show. Afterward, there is telescope viewing. Admission is $5 per adult and $3 per child under 12.

Taylor Observatory has been in continuous operation since 1980. It is owned by the Lake County Office of Education.

Friends of Taylor Observatory, a nonprofit corporation, supports the operation of the facility.

Taylor Observatory is only one of a very few facilities in Northern California that has both a large telescope and a planetarium. It is a unique and valuable Lake County resource.

For more information, visit the observatory’s Web site at www.taylorobservatory.org .

Information about Friends of Taylor Observatory can be found at www.friendsoftaylor.org .

John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .