While most students are saying "Calgon take me away," a handful have discovered the observatory located on top of Thornton Hall. You don’t have to speak in scientific terms or know the first thing about physics or astronomy to enjoy the lights in the night sky.

Three nights a week (weather permitting) the observatory is open for star and planet gazing, it just opened for the spring semester on January 21st and will be open until mid-May. Depending on season and time, different constellations and planets are visible. Right now you may be able to sneak a peak at Saturn or Mars through one of the four large telescopes.

And if you’re lucky, you may even see a shooting star. You won’t have to worry about finding one star to wish on because the sky is filled with them, along with planes, satellites, and other blinking objects.

Instead of asking yourself "what is that?" you can just ask a professional like Serge Gorokhov, 20, star searching extraordinaire or Carolina Calvo, 23, an astrophysics major. They both work in the observatory.

Sir Francis Drake High School students Michael Lewis and Daniel Rampulla enjoy the relaxing and beneficial elements while doing astronomy homework for a college prep class.

“I think it’s really cool that it’s open to the public. It’s relaxed and I guess I would say there’s no long-term commitment,” says Lewis, 15.

“I think it’s great, it’s really cool and interesting. It’s a nice space,” says Rampulla, 18.

The only traffic you’ll see in this place is when there is something rare going on like a comet or an eclipse.

“There can be a line down the stairs on occasion,” says Gorokhov. Other than that, you are free to enjoy your special place on top of the world.

The observatory is open Monday through Wednesday until May 11th. It is open from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., times change throughout the semester. For more information, please call 415-338-7707.