Eastend Astronomy Club is now offering family-friendly astronomy tours again at Wilkinson Memorial Observatory, located four kilometres southwest of Eastend on Highway 13.

The tours begin at dusk and run for about two hours on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and long weekends. 

Joan Hodgins, president of the Eastend Astronomy Club, highlights that the observatory will be turning 75 years old next year and has always been around Eastend. 

"We offer public tours at the observatory, they go every other night but people need to book ahead of time," said Hodgins. 

She noted that the observatory was originally built in 1950 by local Livery barn owner, Jack Wilkinson, who hand-ground his own lenses for the telescopes that he began building in the early 40's.

The observatory was first located outside the Livery barn, then on the roof of Eastend School, before the Gregory family donated the section of land it sits on now.

"He would stop people on the street and ask them if they wanted to take a look through his telescope," she added. "That's how our club got started, just by general interest, his knowledge and expertise in engineering telescopes, and showing people around the Town of Eastend what was going on in the skies.

"It was times before the internet and times before you could buy yourself your own telescope."

Registration is required and children ages 10 and under can attend for free while those 10 year or older pay $10 per person. 

People interested in attending one of the tours can sign up by visiting the Town of Eastend's website or calling (306) 295 - 3323.